The unexpected Fate of a Fey
by Mandochk
Summary: Samantha is among the last of her kind. Yoda has been trying to get her to marry and birth children to save her race, she disagrees and thinks it's best that her kind were left to die out in peace. What happens when he sends her on a mission with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan in an effort to hook her up with the padawan? Does Yoda finally get his way? Only time will tell. [Obi-Wan/OC ]
1. Mission

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters within that genre. I Only own the Fey and my own Character Samantha Tilsit.**

**The Mission**

Samantha had been a Jedi for as long as she could remember. For a human this knowledge would have spanned a mere couple of decades, however as a fey, one of the few long-lived species in the galaxy, her knowledge spread over hundreds of years. Her life had thus far been filled with adventure, learning, and mainly peace for the galaxy was now in a calmer state of affairs than it ever had been. The Jedi were thriving, entering a grand golden age of power, and there were more younglings in the temple than there ever had been before. It made her feel a great deal of delight to be part of such an order, and yet she could feel that there was a great deal of change to come - what that would involve however she could not yet say. The force was an ever flowing thing, ever full of change and difficult to predict for those that gazed into the future. Such things had never concerned her before, she'd never been one to meditate on future events, but there was something about this feeling that was different.

It prodded and pried at the very base of her neck, a tingling sensation that lifted the hairs on the back of her neck every time she dared to make sense of the feelings she was having. She had once approached Yoda on the matter, consulting the more powerful Jedi in regards to the matter, and even he had no answers for her and had told her not to fear for that would lead to the dark side. It was something that had lead to slight frustration for she was not afraid of what the feeling meant, more cautious and in her views there was nothing wrong with being cautious and mindful of what the future had to bring. Today she was having another meeting with the wizened green Jedi, though this time it was not to be just the two of them for she had been summoned to the grand council chamber, and she was not looking forward to having gone to such a thing for she knew by now what manner they wished to discuss with her.

As a member of a species with a low birth rate, she'd been long ago granted exception to marry and birth children, and she'd not follow through on the invitation. With the numbers of her people now dwindling the council was likely to now push the matter to her once again - and she was bored of trying to explain to them that it wasn't a matter of just marrying some random male of her kind. Sure she could do as they asked, and marry off to one of the few remained unmarried males of her species, but there would be no children to be gained out of such a marriage of convenience - such a thing could only occur between two people whose souls were compatible. Without the binding of compatible souls, any pregnancy would not be carried to term, and that need to have a compatible soul binding was why so few of her kind remained. Most were already mated, and the ones left found it hard to find their compatible mate in the small pool of unmated fey. She was a member of a species marked out for extinction, and that was nature's way as she'd often said when asked on the matter - a matter that had been quiet for the last two years.

Samantha had dared to hope that she had finally won her argument and would be left in peace to continue her service to those people that needed help most, however it seemed not to be, and she found herself wondering if the feeling she had been getting in the force was a warning that such matters would soon be brought back to the surface. It was a thought that was hastily pushed aside as she reached the doors that lead toward the council chambers which opened as she approached them. The opening of the doors revealed the seated council members to her eyes, and the two forms standing in front of them - a sight that told her that she hadn't been the only person to have been summoned her this day, and calmed her concerns that she had been about to walk into a verbal battle with the council once again.

The shorter of the two turned around to glance at her, his blue eyes flicking over her form from her feet all the way up to her head. She knew what he would see, he would see a slim formed woman that barely topped five foot one tall that had mid-back length silvery hair, and a face that she knew that most humans found attractive. Personally she never saw what the big fuss was all about, When it came to her own species she was not considered to be attractive in the slightest - her face did not have the right shape to it, or that's what her research in the Jedi archives had said. She returned the young man's examination with one of her own, and indeed he was a young man for he was barely into his mid-twenties and still had the face of much younger man which made him look like he was barely out of his teen years. Yet his strong build spoke of his years of training, and the expression in his eyes gave away the fact that he wasn't nearly as young as he seemed to be. His auburn hair was cropped in the traditional style of the padawan, close cropped to the head with a short ponytail at the nape of his neck and a long braid by his right ear.

It was a style she remembered wearing herself, however, the memory was a vague one and buried under hundreds of years of later experience. The young man's wavered attention drew the attention of the rest of the council, as well as the taller man beside him, and it was then that she recognised the pair for she had met Qui-Gon Jinn on many an occasion. The young man had to be his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, whom she had last seen when he had been but ten years old - she barely even recognised him and by the looks he gave her he had long forgotten her face. "Ah, joined us you have. Much to discuss there is." The gravelly tone of Master Yoda filled the room as Samantha stood on the unoccupied side of Qui-Gon, whom she chanced a glance at, and by the smile on his face she could tell that he was glad to see her again. She felt the same way, though like his apprentice the man was much older than when she had last seen him, and there was now streaks of silver peppered in his hair - though to be fair the peppered silver gave him a much more refined and gentlemanly look.

Resting her gripped hands in front of her she waited for Yoda to continue with his explanation of why they had all been summoned. For a moment the small figure seemed lost in thought, his eyes partially closed as he examined the trio before giving a vague smile and a nod. "On a mission, we are sending you. To Naboo, you must go, blockaded it is by the trade federation. Treat with the Federation, you must, break the blockade of Naboo" It was such a partial explanation, but that was the way it always was with Yoda for he was a male of few words. To be honest she felt like sending three Jedi to talk to the Federation in this regards was a bit of overkill, and by the expression on Obi-Wan's face it was a thought that he too shared. Even Qui-Gon was frowning ever so slightly, the creases of his brow deepening ever so slightly, but he remained silent on the matter for like her he must have assumed that Yoda had his reasons for sending as many Jedi as he had.

"Transport, waiting for you it is, leave shortly you must" It was with those words that she knew that they had been dismissed from the room. Obi-Wan was the first to leave, with Qui-Gon close behind, and she too was about to leave when she heard a slight cough from the old Jedi Master. "Master Tilset, Look you to Padawan Kenobi we ask, remember what we spoke of you will" it was those words that made her stop and turn back to look at the green male for the briefest of moments, her lips pressing into a thin line before she swept out of the room. Was the old master losing his sanity? Was he really suggesting what she thought he was suggesting? Was Yoda seriously trying to hook her up with Obi-Wan? She didn't know what he was trying to pull, perhaps he'd listened to her the last time they had talked, had now accepted there was no males with which she would mate within her own species and was now trying to see if she would pick outside her kind?

It just didn't make sense, surely if Yoda was so passionate about saving her species he would not suggest such a thing? It boggled the mind that the male was suddenly being so aligned with her own thoughts, and she wondered what it was that had changed the green alien's mind in regard to the whole matter. Samantha found in the end that perhaps she didn't want to know what had changed the situation, it was always best not to know what was going on in the green master's mind.

All she needed to do was focus on the mission, help her two male companions break the blockade and get back to the temple so that she could tell Yoda in no uncertain terms that she was not to be set up with anyone ever again! She would be happy to accompany other Jedi on their missions, but she did not appreciate having a side mission of eyeing them up as possible mates - it was just so crass! Walking quickly she soon caught up to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, the pair softly talking in a manner that told her they had been discussing the mission they were about to embark on, and she caught up just in time to hear Obi-Wan's low voice saying that they didn't need a third person for it was just negotiations and thus didn't need so many Jedi.

Her arrival caused him to cough in embarrassment, as he obviously had not wanted to be caught talking about her in such a manner. She felt sorry for the poor young man, sorry that she had to come along when two would have been more than enough, and sorry that he had no idea of Yoda's further plans beyond that mission. "Fear not Padawan Kenobi, I share your frustrations. Something else must be at play here for Master Yoda to send three Jedi for one simple mission" she kept her tone firm, feeling bad that she was not telling him what Yoda had said in regards to them, but to be honest he didn't need know what the green master had said - they were not to be an item romantically and that was that! He didn't need to know about something that would not be affecting him personally, especially as after this mission she didn't think they would be working together again that often.

No - It was best that he did not know. What he didn't know would not hurt him.

Her words on the matter of the mission seemed to calm Obi-Wan, his shoulders relaxing as if relieved that his and his master's feelings were felt by their new companion. Qui-Gon himself was nodding in agreement, one hand raising to rest on his apprentice's shoulder as he himself spoke "With our group numbering three we can complete this mission quickly, besides we will be sure to need Master Tilset's knowledge soon enough." Samantha very much doubted such a thing, Qui-Gon was a knowledgeable fellow and able enough to handle a negotiation without her around, even with hundreds of years more experience she still doubted that her presence would make one jot of difference.

She would have been better used elsewhere in the galaxy, but if Qui-Gon was happy to have her around, then she was happy to go - if anything she could catch up with how life had been for him. Qui-Gon always had amusing stories to tell her, and most seemed to involve his wayward padawan and his antics! Shaking her head she clapped a hand to the taller man's shoulder "Oh stop exaggerating Qui-Gon, You know as much as I do about negotiating with people - now let's get moving or we will miss our ride." With that, she took the lead, her purposeful stride leading them toward the hangar bay, and the waiting Republic Cruiser that stood within it.

Samantha couldn't complain about the trip through hyperspace as being boring. As expected Qui-Gon had indeed told her some new stories about what had happened in his life since they have last seen each other, and to Obi-Wan's embarrassment most of them had involved stories regarding some of the messes he'd gotten them into. Obi-Wan didn't see why the pair needed to talk about such things, but talk about it they did and he eventually had sought solace in one of the Cruisers many chambers - leaving the pair to continue with their stories. Shaking her head in mirth the silvery haired woman tried to regain her composure, one hand gripping her knee in an attempt at stopping the bubbling laughs in her chest from escaping. "Oh Qui-Gon, you and your apprentice certainly know how to get into a sticky situation." She smirked, before glancing at her companion from the corner of her eyes "Are you sure that Yoda didn't just send me to keep you two young'uns in order? You certainly seem to need some adult supervision!"

That certainly got a chuckle from Qui-Gon, she was quite sure that he didn't get to be called young all that often and it must feel doubly odd to hear it some someone that looked as if they were not even thirty yet. A calloused hand brushed through the free hanging section of his hair and he shrugged ever so slightly "Well we do see to get into messes a lot, but we always get out of them with each other's aid - but it is amusing to think that we need babysitting" at first she had thought that she had offended him for he had seemed so serious when he had spoken, but her shocked look soon earned a laugh from him that showed he had been joking with her. Sighing in relief she settled back against the bulkhead of the ship, supporting her body as the ship dropped out of hyperspace - a sure signal that they had arrived at their destination.

Conversation now at an end she pushed herself up to her feet, and made a move toward the cockpit of the craft where the crew of the ship were already hailing the main droid control ship of the federation. Qui-Gon approached in a manner that kept him hidden from the transmitting view, his voice soft as he spoke to the captain of the ship "Tell them we wish to board at once" the simple instruction was met with a barely noticeable nod from the captain as he moved to the screen where the image of Nute Gunray has appeared. The neimoidian's face was hard to read, but from what Samantha could tell the male was not best pleased at his incoming company, as for the captain of their ship he kept his face calm and collected as he addressed Nute "With all due respect, the Ambassadors for the Supreme Chancellor wish to board immediately." The request was met with a slight scowl by the neimoidian, his lips pulling back slightly in a visible sign of his annoyance. "Yes, yes, of course... as you know, our blockade is perfectly legal, and we'd be happy to receive the Ambassador." The drawling tone of his voice revealed to each of the three listening Jedi that this neimoidian felt himself to the right and that this particular negotiation would be very difficult indeed.

With exchanges made the transmission screen went quiet and their captain started the process of landing in the hangar bay of the trade federation ship, a process that didn't take too long at all thanks to the pilot's and copilot's skill. Once landed the three Jedi left the craft, assuring the crew of the ship that they would not be long, and walked toward the main doors of the hangar bay where they were met by a silver protocol droid that introduced itself as TC-14. The droid turned out was to be their guide as it lead them through the many corridors's of the battleship and eventually into a large conference room where the droid left them to their own devices. So far all seemed to be going well, and Samantha assumed that soon Nute Gunray and his companions would join them to discuss the blockade. From the corner of her eye, she watched as Qui-Gon made himself comfortable in one of the chairs while she moved to stand near one of the windows.

She was vaguely aware of Obi-Wan talking, and turned her head to listen to the conversation that the padawan was having with his master. Part of her told her that she shouldn't be listening in to a conversation between a master and his apprentice, but hearing Obi-Wan's concern about having a bad feeling in the force, a feeling that didn't relate to the mission at hand had drawn her attention - for she had been experiencing the same feeling. It was quite exciting to her to hear that she wasn't the only one to feel that something was off with the force, she was about to say that she felt it too when Qui-Gon told his apprentice to be mindful of the moment and to keep his mind in the present and upon the moment at hand. It seemed that in some regards Qui-Gon and Yoda were on very different wavelengths when it came to the force, and thus explained why the pair were so at odds with one another. It also told her that Yoda had differing feelings about the future, to Obi-Wan he had said to be mindful of the future, and to her he had told her not to dwell too often upon it - sometimes the advice was confusing.

She brushed a hand through her hair slowly, carefully arranging the locks over one shoulder as Obi-Wan joined her at her standing place. "So, how do you think the viceroy will deal with the chancellor's demands?" Obi-Wan's question hung in the air as Qui-Gon got up to join them near the window, his face set in a stern expression as he gazed into space "The viceroy is a coward, the negotiations will be short." Samantha frowned, her eyes closing a moment as she got the distinct impression that the negotiations would not happen at all - if Nute Gunray had any intention of talking to them then he would have been here already, but he was not. It was just her, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan in a large room, a room that felt far too empty with just the three of them in there as they fell into silence.

Eventually it was Obi-Wan that broke the quietness of the room, his brow furrowing slightly as he looked toward the doors "Is it in their nature to keep us waiting this long?" It was a question that made Samantha shake her head instantly "No, it is not" her voice was hushed, and soon joined by that of Qui-Gon's as he elaborated on the matter "I sense an unusual amount of fear for something as trivial as this trade dispute." He was right, there was a lot of fear drifting in through the force, fear that told her that her assumption that the negotiations would not happen was a correct one. She frowned, watching as TC-14 walked into the room with a tray of refreshments for them, at least the droid had more sense of manners then it's owner did!

Reaching forward she took one of the cups from the tray and took a sip, the cooling taste of liquid water drifting over her tongue and proving a sense of calm - even if the negotiations didn't go well then they could at least leave and try something else. They still had the Republic Cruiser out in the hangar deck waiting to pick them up, once back they could discuss their next options on how to settle the trade dispute. It was a sense of calm that didn't stay with her long, for moments later she felt a shift in the force as the existence of the crew waiting in the Cruiser vanished in the force, their signatures crying out in shock and panic before suddenly extinguishing in pain. She didn't even notice that she had dropped the glass on the floor, the metal clanging on the floor as she pulled her lightsaber from its clasp on her belt.

The steady thrum of the blade, and the bright yellow hue brought her away from her shock at the loss of their crew even as she a faint hissing reached her ears as some kind of gas was vented in via the ventilation shafts. "Dioxin" the warning from Qui-Gon was hastily noted by the other two Jedi, each on turning off their blades and taking in deep breaths of air before the environment in the room became too hostile for them. All around she could see the thick smoke of the dioxin filling every area of the room, and she could hear the scraping on metal as TC-14 panicked around the room - a panic she tried to ignore.

Instead she focused on her heartbeat, letting it slow slightly as she slipped into a low meditative state in an effort to allow her to make what air she had in her lungs last as she was sure that the doors would not be opened until the neimoidians thought them dead. Eyes closed she listened to the sounds of the ship around her, the hissing of the vents as they continued to fill the room with gas, the slight clicking as TC-14 rushed around the room, the slow thud of her own heart, and then the most glorious sound of all - the sound of the doors to the conference room opening.

TC-14 was the first of them to leave, her arms in the air as she ran out as fast as her legs could carry her. "Oh, Excuse me!" the droid's words drifted through the room, quickly followed by the pitched tones of battle droids somewhere in the main hall beyond the smoke filled room. "Check it out corporal, we'll follow" "roger roger" the orders were a signal to all three Jedi, and one after the other they each ignited their lightsabers. Shafts of Green, Blue, and Yellow piercing the smoke as the order came from the droid's to blast them.

The first red shots of blaster fire wildly piercing the fog even as Sam shot her body forward into the corridor beyond, it was only once she was clear of the fog did she take a breath of clear air, the fresh oxygen feeding her muscles as her lightsaber swung from left to right. The lazy sweep of the weapon cut the waiting droid clean in half, his voice still complaining at how such a thing could not be so even as his body fell to the floor. Stepping over the body she continued the swing of her blade, turning slowly in front of her to swat blaster fire away from her body and directing the flow of her defense into attacks whenever droids came close enough to allow it.

The trio made their way through the corridors of the battleship, quickly dealing with any forms of resistance that came their way, and soon came upon the doors that would lead them to the viceroy and his companions. The dull grey of the closed blast doors were looked at for a moment before Qui-Gon plunged his lazer sword deep within the metal, the intense heat of the blade starting to melt it, something that she sensed was causing a great deal of panic among the creatures behind that door. Soon enough they would be through the obstacle of the blast doors, all they needed was a few moments, and those few moments were not what they had to spare. "Master Droidekas" the warning from Obi-Wan was given almost at the same time as her own, the metallic droids spinning into the corridor and unfurling by the time she had pushed her back defensively to that of the unprotected Qui-Gon.

As the droidekas opened fire the Jedi slipped into their defense, Qui-Gon thanks to the time that Sam had given him was able to pull out his saber from the door and soon too was batting away blaster shots from the droidekas, it was a standoff the three Jedi knew they could not win thanks to the shields of the droidekas and within moments they split away from the room with the fey leading the way. "We go up into the ventilation shafts, they can't reach us there" as she talked the woman swung her saber to open the mesh covered vent just above her, leaving a hole big enough for them to slip into the vent, turned off her saber, and quickly jumped up into the shaft. As small as she was even she had to admit that the shaft was very claustrophobic, the men that soon followed her must have been in even worse a state for they were more muscular than her and had wider shoulders. Crawling on hands and knees she followed the route of the shaft, letting the force lead her for she had no personal idea of the blueprints of this battleship and kept her head down slightly so she wouldn't have to focus on the oppressive feeling of the shaft.

Fey were never very good in small enclosed spaces, they were a people of the open spaces, and the very walls of the shaft where seeming to close in on her from every angle. She pushed the feelings to one side, knowing that she had to keep moving for the sheer fact that they likely didn't have a lot of time. In time they came to a bigger area of the shaft, something that she was happy for as she'd been fighting nausea for the last few minutes, and took a moment to rest and look out of one of the vents they had found themselves at.

The scene in front of them was of a large hangar bay, not unlike the one they had arrived in, however this one was full of landing craft and battle droids. The thousands of droids were filling the waiting landing craft, their mechanical forms moving efficiently and without the chatter that came with a human army. "Battle Droids" Qui-Gon's whispered voice was soon joined by that of Obi-Wan "It's an invisible army" it was an observation that drew a sigh from the Jedi Master, one hand running over his forehead in an exhausted manner "This is an odd play for the Trade Federation. We've got to warn the Naboo and contact Chancellor Valorum. Let's split up. Stow aboard separate ships and meet down on the planet" Obi-Wan nodded his head, and Samantha moved to loosen the cover of the vent so that they could slip down into the hangar bay below. Once she was ready to move she looked up at the two males, and Obi-Wan turned to his master with a sigh "You were right about one thing, master, the negotiations were short."

Samantha looked at the younger man in surprise, was that sarcasm? If the situation were not so dire she would have laughed, instead she dropped nimbly down to the ground, and without waiting for the other two she made her way to the nearest landing craft and snuck on board. Like the vent before the space within the craft was very limited, it was built with carrying droids in mind and thus no comforts were made for biological beings. The best she could do was find a small space in one of the corners and curl up as tightly as possible, one to keep warm in the cold space, and two so that she was hidden in the shadows where the droids would not be able to see her. Once comfortable she wrapped her arms around herself and rested her head on her forearms, all she could do now was wait, and hope that it wouldn't take too long at all for the craft to land on Naboo.

* * *

***Note - Samantha leans more toward the teachings of the gray Jedi, thus why she disagrees with the council and more liable to embrace and examine her emotions without fully falling to the sway of the dark side.**

****Further Note - I have gone back in and edited this, and broken up the large chunks of text hopefully this will make it easier read. Thanks for the review OfficerDonNZ!**


	2. Arrival

**Chapter 2 : Arrival**

How she had ever got through that next hour or so she would never know, the meditation had helped a great deal. It had taken her mind away from the creeping panic and replaced it with serenity, but even then there had still been the lingering hope that everything would turn out okay. To be honest, she was glad once the craft had landed, the feeling of pulling gravity and shaking chassis telling her that it was finally time to leave her dark hiding spot. Samantha didn't quite fully remember those rushed few moments of running out of the craft and out into the burning light of the planet beyond. She vaguely remembered rolling from the craft, and the feeling of hot air from it's vents drifting over her body as it passed her by - it was funny how adrenaline worked sometimes.

Righting her body into a crouching posture she watched as the convoy of craft and droids passed her by, the lush foliage stirring around her due to the movement of air around her. It felt almost like sacrilege to see such an army smack bang in the middle of this idyllic scenery, such beauty should not have been disturbed in such a way, and yet as bad as this was she knew that the wildlife would not suffer as much as the humans. With the negotiations having fallen through a new plan would have to be formed, and for that new plan to be made she needed to meet back up with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.

As she snuck deeper into the woods the sounds of the landing army lessened, absorbed by the dense foliage around her. The ever present sounds of dampers still followed her, an ever present throb that vibrated in her muscles as she jogged through the trees, the force guiding her toward the two males. At first she got the distinct feeling that the two were in two locations, which made sense as each of them had gotten into different craft, and thus would have landed in two very different locals.

After a while, however, the two presences in the force intermingled in a manner that told her that they were now together, all she had to do was go to that spot and meet up with them. Due to the strength of their presence in the force she knew that they were not too far away from her at all, and they like her both felt alert to the danger around them - in fact, they seemed to already have had an altercation for by the time she finally got to where they were, there was a tangle of battle droid parts on the ground and a frog-like sentient being standing next to them who seemed to be overly grateful for something that Qui-Gon had done for him.

The pale amber coloration of the being, and the long ears that fell around an elongated frog-like face told her that this being was a gungan. She had never seen one up close before, but had read plenty of them in the Jedi Archives and thus knew then to be a very secretive people that rarely left their underwater cities - what this one was doing on the land was a mystery to her. "Master Qui-Gon, Padawan Kenobi. It seems you have picked up a stray," her teasing tones drew a scowl from Obi-Wan and a frown from Qui-Gon, the former having the expression that would have rather not have to deal with the creature. To be honest she felt somewhat the same way, but only because the more beings that knew they were here the less of an element of surprise they would have.

As nice as she was sure this creature was, he seemed like the loose-lipped variety that would tell all and sundry where they where once they were gone - which meant for the time being they were stuck with him. "Yes, he will take us to his city" Qui-Gon's comment caused the gungan to squeak in panic, the eyes on top of his head widening while hands pulled at his ears "No, not willy, no" his panic only increased as the Jedi turned to look at the creature "No?" the panic on the gungan's face slowly was replaced by one of slight embarrassment "ss embarrassing, boot ahh... My afrai my've bean banished. My forgoten der Bosses would do terrible tings to my. Terrible tings if my goen back dare." As the gungan talked he looked at the ground, not daring to look at the Jedi as a pulsating sound filled the clearing.

"We have to move, is the local going to help us or not?" the sound was a reminder to her that they couldn't stand around forever, either the gungan was going to help them, or not. Either way they couldn't wait around for it to make up its mind! Qui-Gon seemed to feel the same way as he shifted to a new tactic, scare tactics "You hear that? That's the sound of a thousand terrible things heading this way..." he trailed off and Obi-Wan picked up where he left off " If they find us, they will crush us, grind us into little pieces, then blast us into oblivion!" he smashed one hand against the other to make his point. As horrible as it was to scare the gungan the thought of being crushed seemed to spur the creature into action.

His ears spinning in the air as he turned his body in the direction he wished to go "yousa point is well made, this way, hurry!" with that the gungan was rushing off through the swamp, three Jedi following close behind. From her spot beside Qui-Gon the woman was able to shoot the aging man a sly smile "You know, that wasn't very nice of you" she kept her tone light and playful, but the serious expression on Qui-Gon's face remained in place "I did what was needed, as unpleasant as it was Jar Jar needed a reason to take us to his city quickly" she frowned slightly but didn't press the matter further.

Samantha didn't like that some Jedi used mind tricks and scare tactics to get what they needed for the greater good. Jedi were supposed to protect, not manipulate. It was one of the many things that she had argued about with Yoda over the years, for him these matters seemed unimportant for he always saw such things as part of protecting people - and she just didn't feel that way at all. Having nothing more to discuss with the male she dropped back slightly so that she was two running paces behind him, her eyes watching his brown cloak billowing in the wind behind him.

She was somewhat aware of the fact that Obi-Wan was somewhere to her left, and she felt bad that his master was teaching him such trickery - which surprised her as she had never questioned the training methods of another master before. As much as she detested some force skills, she had never been one to tell someone what they could and could not teach their padawans. If Master Yoda had changed his mind about the skills then there might well have been wide changes in teaching methods - but he hadn't and she didn't have the rank to have any kind of real impact on anything in the Jedi Order.

So she kept quiet on the matter, focusing on her breathing and trying not to think on why she suddenly cared about how Kenobi was being trained. Thankfully for her she didn't have to think on the matter for too long for the forest started to thin out as it gave way to a large body of water, a body of water that seemed to be their end destination. Jar Jar turned toward the three, or at least his eyes did more so than his head, and he motioned toward the water "wesa goin' underwater okiday" the announcement drew a flurry of movement as each of the three reached for small breathing devices in their belts, the metallic cylinder didn't look like much, but it would allow them to breath underwater until they reached their destination, and Samantha was glad she had it in her kit on that particular occasion.

Ahead of her Jar Jar was still talking, his tone oddly grave for his comical talking "And my warning yous. Gungans no liken outsiders, so don't expicin wern welcome" she would have laughed at the irony if Obi-Wan hadn't had cut in before she could do so "Don't worry, this hasn't been our day for warm welcomes" as the padawan finished talking the gungan threw himself into the air, his agile body twisting and turning in the air as he dived into the rippling surface of the water. Moments later he broke the surface of the lake, one hand motioning for the Jedi to join him in the water "Ahh... yousa follow me now, okeyday?" it wasn't as if they had much of a choice. With a slight exhale of breath Samantha lifted the device to her mouth, teeth gripping the rubber mouthpiece of the breather, keeping it in place as she took a couple of short breaths to get it going while she walked briskly into the water.

The lake was, as expected, colder than the air had been at the surface though not uncomfortably so. At first she noticed the difference in temperature as she fully submerged her body underwater, but as she swam and her body warmed up it didn't seem too bad at all. Each sweep of her arms and kick of her legs kept her body temperature at a constant and at the same time-powered her deeper into the murky water. For awhile all there was to see in the lake was the few fish that passed close enough for them to be seen, but then as they got deeper she noticed a slight glow emanating from the lake bed. There was no natural reason for the lakebed to glow, so she could only assume that the glow came from a settlement of some variety, and soon her idea was soon proven correct.

Large bubbles soon came into view, large bubbles that held within them the structures of a city that was the cause of the glow. The ingenuity of some species really did surprise her sometimes, as she knew that some peoples still struggled with finding ways to colonise any depth of water. As they approached she noticed further that one section of the bubble was rippling with the movements of the water current, and she realised that this was the way in once Jar Jar adjusted his body to an upright position and moved through the bubble membrane.

The next to move through the membrane was Qui-Gon, closely followed by Obi-Wan, and each time they went through the bubble sealed effortlessly behind them so not even the smallest bit of water from the lake spilled into the dry city beyond. Sam found herself fascinated by it as she angled her body as much as she could and pushed herself forward through the membrane where gravity instantly tugged at her body. In the water she had floated effortlessly, now she felt the comfortable tug of the surface beneath her as she landed gracefully on her feet.

Their arrival it seemed was not expected, nor did it seem they were welcome here. Several of the cities citizens scattered at the sight of the visitors. She had to admit that none of them really made the best first impression, soaked from head to foot as they were! Even her hair hung in limp messy curls around her face, and she was sure that the silvery locks would look even worse once they finally dried out. The sound of heavy approaching footsteps drew her attention forward as a large kaadu approached, the gungan on it's back holding a long electro-pole which he used to motion to each of the arrivals. "Hey Yoosa, stoppa there" his firm tone affirmed the image as this gungan being some kind of guard, and she held up her hands in a non-threatening manner as Jar Jar approached him.

"Heyo-dalee, Cap'n Tarpals, Mesa back!" So the gungan on the kaadu was called Captain Tarpals? By the look of it the captain wasn't especially pleased to see Jar Jar in the city, at least if the drawn expression on his face was anything to go by that is. The same could go for them too for he seemed wary of both her and the two male jedi, however, he seemed especially leery of the gungan that had brought them here. "Noah gain, Ja Ja. Yousa goen tada Bosses. Yousa in big dudu this time." Poor Jar Jar hung his head in embarrassment and was shocked by the electro-pole of another guard as he approached on another kaddu. Rubbing the spot where he had been shocked, Jar Jar softly muttered about how rude the guard was where they were ushered forward through the city.

Sam wished she had the time to explore the city, or at the very least get a proper look at it, but they were guided through the city at a fast pace - one too fast for her to get a good look at the city and the curious inhabitants that lined the street they walked along. In the force they radiated both curiosity and fear, thought to which person those feelings were for was hard to say for the people seemed to feel just as much discomfort for Jar Jar as they did the Jedi. Just what exactly had Jar Jar done to earn him these kinds of feelings from his own people no less? As klutzy as he seemed to be she didn't feel as if the gungan was dangerous, which only made the fear all the more curious.

As she mused on this the crowds lessened, and soon they found themselves away from the main part of the city and in the administrative area of the city. It seemed that this was the place where the big cheeses of the civilisation hung out, and they soon met the main members of the city in Otah Gunga's high tower board room. The room, was circular in nature, with her and her companions on a platform at a lower level to the sitting area of the gungan council. The Officials were sat in a semi-circular bench, small eyes looking down at their guests with some great suspicion, and in the case of Jar Jar the looks were of frustration and annoyance. Clearly they had dealt with him many times before, and not looking forward to doing so again - especially given his Jedi companions.

Samantha left the negotiations to Qui-Gon, and she took her time to examine Boss Nass. He was the biggest Gungan in the room both in terms of height and mass, the mass of his body being a sign of his rank due to the high-quality diet he ate in comparison to his citizens. The leader of the city also didn't seem to want to help him, or even the Naboo up on the surface given his response to Qui-Gon's request to warn the Naboo about the landing army. He lived in a lake, far away from the Naboo, and thus xenophobic in his ideas in how to interact with their neighbours on the planet. To him, the danger of the droid army must have felt so far away, and the stranger's requests to not to be listened to. They would not be getting any aid from the gungans that much was clear, and she tried not to frown as she caught sight of Qui-Gon's hand moving in a horizontal movement near his hip - a typical movement that said he was using a Jedi mind trick. He was trying to convince Boss Nass to give them transport to the city, and to her surprise the gungan was susceptible to the control - she would have thought the tough acting male to have more strength of will than that.

She scowled at the man, arms crossed lightly and couldn't help but whisper a complaint under her breath "You know I don't like that." It was something that Qui-Gon heard, for he moved to look at her but was now too busy trying to get Jar Jar out of trouble. Qui-Gon was soft-hearted, especially when it came to poor saps in trouble, and thus he couldn't resist rescuing Jar Jar from his fate with further mind tricks. Shaking her head the woman moved to stand beside Obi-Wan whom gave her a long-suffering smile "Qui-Gon does as he wishes, with or without the approval of others" his explanation was one she had heard in relation to Qui-Gon's actions before, and to be honest she didn't know why she expected different from him - like her he followed his own rules in relation to the force. "After all these years you'd think I would know such things" she ran a hand through her now dry hair, fingers catching in a few snags as she pulled them through her locks "but like him I can't help but question things, it's why me and him have never been approved to join the high council despite being experienced enough to do so, and it's often why we disagree with each other"

The look on Obi-Wan's face was hard to read, but she could tell that something she had said had surprised him for his eyes held an odd look in them when he looked upon her. Eventually, he didn't seem to be able to hold it in "You, in the council? But you are too young to be appointed surely." Ah so that was what it was, her youthful appearance was often at sorts with her experience and lots of Jedi were often caught off guard by it if they did not know her heritage- a heritage she didn't wish to share with the padawan at this time.

"They were to make an exception for me, but with my views they didn't wish me to a part of the council - it would cause too much friction where none is needed" she strangely had agreed with that view, not to mention she never wanted to be on the council anyway - in her eyes she could do more good serving as a knight in the field than she ever could sitting on the council. Her explanation was met with a sceptical look that told her the padawan didn't believe her, but any questions he might have had were pushed to one side as Qui-Gon returned to the group with a grateful Jar Jar at his side. It seemed that Boss Nass was loaning them a bongo to get to the Naboo, and Jar Jar was to be their guide through the planet's core.

It all sounded reasonable to her, however once she finally saw the small craft she began to wonder at the generosity of Boss Nass. Sure the craft would get them to their destination, but with four of them it was going to be a tight squeeze - and she definitely didn't want to be in cramped confines with two men and a gungan! There were so many things that could go wrong, and she was starting to get a bad feeling about what was to come next. Shaking off the sensation she slipped into the craft, the sensation only growing as Obi-Wan slipped into the craft next to her, and as careful as he was she still felt his arm brushing against hers as he slipped into his chair.

The contact was brief, but it ignited a flurry of sensations in her body that she'd never wanted to feel for him! The area he had brushed against was tingling pleasantly in a warm manner, and she could feel the part of her soul-stirring in response to the male - it was a feeling that reminded her of the time her mother had taught her about as a child, a feeling that heralded the compatibility of the person as your mate. She certainly didn't want those feelings for Obi-Wan, and she certainly didn't want Yoda to have been right about all this! Bottling the feeling deep inside her Samantha settled her gaze outside the bongo, trying to focus on anything but the padawan beside her and beginning to wish she'd said no to the mission while she had had the chance!

Outside the window, the lake view passed her by, a world of muted colors interjected with bright fish that provided a worthy distraction from the new feelings. Another thing that provided a surprising distraction was Jar Jar's explanation of why he had been banished. "Tis a longo taleo, buta small part of it wawdbe mesa... aaaa... clumsy." The announcement caused her to turn her gaze away from the fish, and toward Jar Jar whom seemed a bit nervous to be sharing his story with the Jedi.

"You were banished because you were clumsy?" Obi-Wan's firm voice drifted from beside her, a reminder of just how close the man was, but as distracted as she was she wasn't as bothered by it anymore. "Ahh... Yousa mighten be sayin dat. Mesa cause-ed mabee one or duey lettal bitty axadentes...yud-say boom da gasser, un crash Der Bosses heyblibber...den banished." Ah so Jar Jar was more than a little clumsy, and sadly his clumsiness seemed to occur near Boss Nass! Given the large male's position in society it was inevitable that Jar Jar would be banished. It also revealed that Jar Jar was more dangerously clumsy than she had thought, and she wondered about the wisdom of bringing the gungan with them.

Not for long however as the craft lurched, grasped by the tongue of a large opee sea killer, and she guessed it was lucky that a bigger fish was around to save them from becoming the opee's lunch! With one danger passing, another loomed as the lights on the sub flickered with waning power, and slowly they sunk further into the dark depths of the lake.


	3. The Queen

**Chapter 3: The Queen**

The lights remained dimmed though they flickered every so often as power attempted to cycle through the craft. Sparks flew from a couple of the control panels close to Sam's head, causing her facial muscles to twitch at their close proximity to her skin, the warmth of the sparks telling her just how close she had come to getting her face burned.

But she didn't move, she refused to do so as she knew that any movement would take her closer to Obi-Wan and she knew what his closeness would spark within her. She mused that it was a good thing that the males were so busy dealing with the situation, for she was sure that they would notice her odd behaviour before long if they were not so caught up with the sinking bongo.

Obi-Wan was nose deep in a control panel and Qui-Gon was dealing with the panicking Jar-Jar. Water was leaking in from somewhere, and that was distressing the gungan for some reason. She wasn't quite sure why the reason for such panic as the amphibian was certainly more able to survive in water then she, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon!

Letting out a breath she moved to work at a panel nearest to her, only stopping long enough to raise a brow at the fainting gungan - it seemed that Qui-Gon had calmed the gungan too much and he was out cold for the moment. The lack of panicking gungan meant the three of them soon fixed the panel, the craft's front lights blazing into life and revealing a huge fish in front of them.

They just couldn't catch a break it seemed, and Obi-Wan was quick to react by pulling the nose of the craft upward in such a steep climb that they were rising at almost vertical. Despite herself Sam gripped to the seat she was in, watching with wide eyes as they just about avoided becoming the fish's dinner.

She really didn't like being the passenger when it came to transportation, she much preferred being the driver, and when she wasn't in control of the craft she often found herself pressing on invisible brake pedals and gripping the arms of seats as a substitute for a yolk. Breathing heavily the fey allowed herself to slip back into her chair, watching the dark world of the planet core drifting past the viewport.

"We will be there soon"

Obi-Wan's comment brought her out of her contemplation, and she rose a brow at his words. She didn't know why he felt the need to talk, the passage through the core would not take too long, she had the same senses as him and knew that they would be on the surface come sun up.

"I know, I sense it - why the concern"

The Padawan shrugged slightly, eyeing his master out of the corner of his eye. The older man was dealing with Jar-Jar who had just come round from his faint. Qui-Gon was quite busy with the gungan and didn't seem to have picked up on their conversation - that or the master was better at playing at the eavesdropping game than she had guessed.

"You don't seem to like the enclosed places, do not fear, this will soon pass"

So Obi-Wan was concerned for her? That was a surprise to her, and she looked at the young man who had been so quiet when she had first met him. It was touching that he wanted to comfort her, even if it was the typical Jedi response of keeping fear at bay. Lifting a hand she allowed it to run through her hair, trying to push away the padawan's concern and looking past him into the darkness beyond.

"It is not the space in here that bothers me, it is being a passenger - I much prefer to be the pilot"

He nodded. Seeming to understand her explanation, or did he just think she was throwing him off the scent with an excuse? The look on his face said that either was a possibility. Whatever was on his mind was not her responsibility, he was a padawan and needed to learn how to figure things out for himself. She was not here to teach, nor was she here to explain her beliefs and fears. She was here to help Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon with their mission, which so far was going horribly pear shaped.

Closing her eyes, she drifted into meditation, feeling the ebb and flow of the force around her. Particularly in the life forces of the men around her. Qui-Gon was a blended swirl of white intermingled with sparks of yellow that often marked his presence. While Obi-Wan's was more complicated, with patches of orange and green that proclaimed his youthful excitement - he was still a young man and that fact was obvious in his signature, if not his eyes that showed age beyond his youthful years.

Less experienced Jedi often had such whirling presences, for they were still learning to deal with their emotions and to reign in their passions. As for her own presence? She knew what others would see if they were to focus on her - a soothing swirling mass of silver interjected with blue, red and white. The colors she knew where a representation of her emotions and passions, things the experienced happily where 'mainstream' Jedi did not. For them such things where paths to the dark side, to her they were part of a delicate balance that was needed if one were to truly be one with the force.

The lightening of the world around her was a signal that they would soon be surfacing, and she opened her eyes so that she could watch the twilight hued waters grow ever lighter around them. Then finally they broke the surface of the water, the craft bobbing wildly on the surface until Obi-Wan stabilized the craft with one press of the button and opened the canopy of the craft with another.

The feeling of fresh air rushed in around her, carrying with it the scent of fresh grass from the fields that graced the river banks. Naboo really was a beautiful place, a place of bright colors and graceful architecture, but she had no time to muse on its attractiveness for she and her companions had a task to do and not much time to do it in.

As soon as the craft reached the shoreline she jumped up from her seat and raced to the shore, eager to save the queen and to get away from Obi-Wan. It felt good to be a good distance away from him for it made it easier to ignore what he stirred within her and made it easier to say the feelings were a fluke and some odd placebo effect brought on by Yoda's insistence that she feel something for someone.

With her companions not that far behind her the Fey moved toward the waiting city that lay not far away from the river, following her senses for she trusted that they would lead her to Queen Amidala. The force didn't lead her astray, it never did, and soon enough they were sneaking through the city in pursuit of a group of prisoners being herded along with droids. One of the prisoners was Amidala herself. Not only could she feel the queen's presence in the force, but she could pick her physical form out thanks to the elaborate red dress that she wore.

With their target in reach, the three burst into action. Each of them jumping nimbly down from the walkway that crossed the street, and landing not far for the party of humans and droids. Sam was the first to act, her yellow blade thrumming into life as she pressed the button to activate it, she didn't even wait a second to attack after turning on the blade - she just acted.

Her body lunging forward to pierce the nearest droid in the midriff, and holding it close by gripping its body plates. She kept the droid close to her body for a moment, using it's metal body as a shield as his kin fired in her general direction, and only letting her shield drop once she'd used it to batter down the next two droids in line.

Her fighting style wasn't entirely conventional, but she didn't care as long as they worked - every Jedi had their preferred form of fighting and she personally used her surroundings to her advantage. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were no slouches in the fight either, their own lightsabers being used in a more conventional manner to bat aside blaster bolts and cut down droids once they were within striking range. Between the three of them they made short work of the droids, and as for the gungan ... well, he soon recovered from the less than graceful entrance he had made by getting caught up on the walkway and falling into a heap on the plaza floor!

Sam went to help Jar-Jar, keeping a half ear open as Qui-Gon greeted the group formally. It was an effort not to snort when mention was made on how negotiations had failed, and she could almost feel Qui-Gon's frustration when he explained that the negotiations had never taken place. With the gungan aided Sam returned to the group, stepping into place beside Qui-Gon so that she could look upon the queen.

"We need to get to contact the republic" whatever response she could have gotten to her request, she certainly didn't expect to be told that the communications had been knocked out! The only way to contact the republic was to leave the planet on whatever transport the Naboo had and somehow get past the blockade! The odds just kept stacking up against them and she wondered how Qui-Gon remained so calm.

Perhaps she could learn something from mainstream Jedi thinking, after all?.

Panaka took the lead, guiding the group toward a nearby building, and into a hallway as alarms started to sound. It seemed the rescue had been discovered and soon enough they would have the whole of the trade federation army bearing down on them. Panaka slowed to a stop outside a doorway, carefully prying it open just a crack so that he could look into the room beyond. Qui-Gon moved forward to look into the room also, and from the stiffening in his shoulders the older Jedi didn't like what he could see in the hanger bay

"There are too many of them"

Panaka's tone was low enough to be a whisper, but not quiet enough to be drowned out by the sirens. Beside him Qui-Gon shifted slightly away from the door, his face now serious but there was a confidence there that said things were not as bad as first suggested.

"That won't be a problem. Your Highness, under the circumstances, I suggest you come to Coruscant with us."

Amidala's face was hard to read under the thick makeup that she wore, the white coloration giving her another worldly look that only enhanced her regal look. There was a firmness in her expression that told Sam that the queen would not be leaving the planet, it was the kind of thing that a good ruler would do - to stay and share in the suffering of her people. Samantha found herself admiring Amidala for her philosophy.

"Thank you, Ambassador, but my place is here with my people"

From her side, Sam could see Obi-Wan shift slightly, and she knew why he was moving. There wasn't much time left before they were found, and as much as she admired the queen they didn't need the delay in trying to convince the queen that she needed to leave for the better good of her people. Qui-Gon was the one that eventually took on the task, and Sam was sure he'd have a few more gray hairs by the end of this mission!

"They will kill you if you stay"

Ah, the old 'they will kill you' argument. While it wasn't always necessarily true, it always seemed to spark the self-preservation desire that every soul possessed - even a queen had to have a certain desire to protect themselves. From the queen's side, one of her guards spoke up, his face showing defiance as he proclaimed that the federations wouldn't dare to kill Amidala! It was an argument that was backed up by Panaka's explanation that the federation needed her to sign a treaty to make the invasion legal. Sam didn't dare point out that once the treaty was signed there would be no more use for the queen and thus the need to keep her alive wouldn't be a necessity after that!

"The situation here is not what it seems. There is something else behind all this, Your Highness. There is no logic in the Federation's move"

The argument continued as Sam stepped aside a moment, choosing to keep watch down the empty corridor. Really, she was quite surprised that no droid patrol had come to check this particular hallway - surely the hanger bay would have been the first place you sent your troops if you had prisoners escape? Behind her, the conversation continued in hushed whispers, and she finally heard the queen agree to the plan which was quite the relief. Now all they had to worry about was getting to the spacecraft and getting off the planet.

With the queen having agreed, a much smaller group entered into the hanger bay. Bibble, Yane, and Sache had stayed behind while the rest had come with them. Panaka motioned toward a small group of pilots held to one side of the hanger, being guarded by a good number of droids.

"We need to free those pilots"

Sam didn't need telling twice, she was already moving toward the captive pilots by the time Obi-Wan had said that they would deal with them. The padawan had to almost jog to catch up with her, and she found that she appreciated the help - despite the fact she was quite sure she could handle a few droids on her own. With the help of Obi-Wan she would get the droids down sooner, and they could get on the spacecraft and off planet all the sooner - especially as she was sure that the droids would put out a call for reinforcements as soon as they were attacked.

As soon as they got close to the group the two Jedi attacked, blue and yellow blades easily cutting down the droids. Sam marveled at how easy it was to cut down the droids, and how the group stood there for a good five-count before opening up fire. They barely got off a round of fire before the last droid was reduced to a pile of scrap on the ground, and the small group of pilots had been freed. The freed pilots jumped to their feet and rushed in the direction of the chrome spacecraft, where Qui-Gon was finishing up with the droids that had been guarding the ship.

Sam jogged toward the waiting ship, the sound of engines whirring into life filling the hanger. The Pilots were the first onto the ship, along with Amidala and her handmaidens, followed by Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and lastly herself. The inside of the spaceship was just as clean and minimalistic as the outside of the craft, and she held to one of the walls to steady her body as the spaceship lifted up from the ground and taxied out of the hanger bay. Clearly the speed was the name of the game because she could feel from the slant of the craft that they were leaving the planet at quite the angle. They were, as her master would have said, bugging out. Holding to the wall she made her way to the doorway of the cockpit.

She couldn't enter the cockpit, there were far too many people in there as it was, but at least she could see they were leaving the planet's atmosphere and heading right into the blockade. Even though, she had already seen the blockade it was still an intimidating sight and reminded her of just how against the odds it was going to be for one spacecraft to sneak through the blockade! Sam held tightly to the top of the doorway for support as the first shots came ringing in, hitting against the side of the craft and the jolting of the spaceship made her wonder just how effective it's shields were.

Obviously they were not the best as sirens blared in the cockpit a few shots later, and she let out a curse despite herself. She would have moved to watch the deployment of the Astro mech droids if Obi-Wan had not already been blocking her view of the screen! She had no desire to go into the crowded area, and there was no point risking the chance of getting knocked into the padawan. Instead she kept her eyes on the stars in the viewport, listening in as the pilot commented on the progress of the droids and cringing as each reported loss came in. It was only when one droid was left did the sirens clear and the pilot at the controls let out a sound of relief, his shoulders relaxing back into his chair as he flicked a couple of switches

"Powers back! That little droid did it. He bypassed the main power drive. Deflector shield up, at maximum"

The good news didn't last, however, a few short moments later the pilot was once again talking. A troubled look slowly creeping into his features as he examined one of the readouts on the screen in front of him.

"There's not enough power to get us to Coruscant...the hyperdrive is leaking"

What was the expression that was often used for bad news? Something along the lines of when it rains it pours? Well that was how Sam felt right about now, and she leaned her head against the bulkhead as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon discussed options on where they should land to repair the ship. Eventually they settled on the planet Tatooine, a small out of the way planet that had no ties to the trade federation, but Sam was cautious of such a choice due to the system being Hutt controlled - Hutts were not easy to deal with and she would much rather have a battle of words with Neimoidians then Hutts. But they needed repairs and repairs they would get! She just had to hope that they didn't have to deal with Hutts to get their repairs.

Running a hand through her hair Sam retreated from the doorway and did a room by room check of the craft to make sure their occupants had not been too shaken up during the escape from Naboo.


	4. Planetside

**Authors Note: I would like to apologize for how long it took to get this chapter posted. Those following my profile will know that I've had issues with my wrists, crazy work schedules, and real life in general just eating up my free time. I hope to have this story back to a regular posting schedule now that things are settling a bit (or at least for the foreseeable future). For regular updates be sure to follow my profile where I will have my current status on stories posted.**

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**Chapter 4 Planetside. **

The quietness of space had always been Sam's favorite thing. It allowed her to drift in the calming sensations of meditation, with no distractions. Normally the force ebbed and flowed around her in a fleeting song of lives being lived and the passing of those souls whose time had come from them - it was a living web that interconnected in one glowing mass. Today however the web was tangled and complicated, drifting off in a hundred different ways - a sure sign that the future was not laid out in an easy path to follow. She focused further, trying to untangle the web to see why it was so tangled, but nothing jumped out of her ... the details were clouded as they always had been of late. It was the dark side that clouded the future, that much she knew and it was a sentiment that was shared with the rest of the Jedi, and she started to pull her focus away from the web of the future so that she could mull over the problems of the present.

Something caught her attention before she could pull away from her deep meditation, an image of a face that was familiar, but very much older than it currently was. It was the face of Obi-Wan, no longer a boy but a man. The look of content and love on his face was quite a surprise to see given she was so used to seeing the boyish grin on his face, but that was nothing compared to seeing her future self, the details of her face where the same as when she had looked in the mirror last - such was the benefit of her long life. As surprising as this all was there was no missing the fact that she and Obi-Wan held hands and was she pregnant? It was a vision she pushed away and her eyes snapped open to look at the stark white walls of the room she had taken refuge in. Sam had never had visions of the future during her meditations, seeing the future was not something that happened often as true visions never occurred on a frequent basis for the Jedi - and she especially did not like the contents of the vision given how complicated her feelings were at that moment. Sam was a woman that had never needed or wanted a man in her life for centuries, and she still felt that such matters were being forced upon her before she was ready by Yoda. Yes her spirit reached out for Obi-Wan in a way it never had with a male before, but she'd literally put a wall of frustration up to the whole thing in her effort to prove once more that Yoda was wrong - she was far too prideful to think that Yoda was right and that the force was now showing her the path that her life would make.

Yet, she couldn't deny that the vision had not been entirely detestable. Obi-Wan was a good enough looking guy, seemed a noble enough sort, and she already had some attraction toward him - maybe, just maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Long fingered hands brushed down her clothing as she felt the ship trembling under her crossed legs, and the buzz of the engines lowered - a signal that the pilots were preparing to slow the craft down in preparation for landing. Sam felt no need to leave her room at this point, the pilots were more than capable of landing the craft without another Jedi breathing down their necks, and besides Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were likely to be in the cockpit - the poor fey didn't think she'd be able to look the padawan in the eye at the moment without blushing and stuttering like a fool. Yeah, that would be real classy, give the padawan a reason to think that something was up, and he would be soon asking her prying questions on what was wrong with her. She let out a breath, feeling the change in the frequency and pitch of the engines, and the jostling of the craft, as it lowered in altitude before one final large bucking sensation, heralded that they had finally landed safely on the planet. A slow breath was inhaled into her lungs as she pushed herself up from the ground, knowing that it was best to move now before either Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon came to inform her of their arrival onto the planet.

Pulling the thick cover of her robes around her body the woman left her room, and stepped into the hallway beyond where she immediately found herself in a cluster of handmaidens and pilots discussing who should go to the nearest town to fetch supplies. Right in the thick of the gaggle of humans was a rather sedate looking Qui-Gon, his hands held in front of him in the classic Jedi-posture that was ingrained into all initiates in their first days of training. Sam got the feeling that he was waiting for the chattering around him to stop before setting down the plan for the next few days, though it was hard to say if this really was the man's plan as it was hard to read what he was thinking when he had such a calm looking face. Sam herself was content to wait in the hallway until the mass of bodies had moved out of the small hallway, though it was a long wait given the fact that the people in the room were quite content to argue amongst themselves about what to do now they were here - or just how stupid it was to land on a planet that was Hutt controlled.

Eventually the babble died down, giving the Jedi Knight a chance to finally lay down his plans. He would take R2-D2 and Jar-Jar with him into town and acquire the parts they needed ... though why he would take the gungan wasn't really clear on her. The gungan, as she had learned during the duration of the trip, was a klutz and seemed to attract all kinds of trouble - surely it would have been better to take herself or Obi-Wan with him into the city. But she didn't question it. If he took Jar-Jar with him that meant that he couldn't make a mess while she and Obi-Wan prepared the engine bays to take the new parts. In effect, he was leaving her in control of their base of operations, and that task would now be a fairly simple. She settled her hands in front of her as she watched the male leave the ship, closely followed by Obi-Wan - likely the padawan wanted a talk with his master before he left, but Sam didn't need such a talk. When Obi-Wan did return he had a serious look on his young face, his brows furrowed as if something was worrying him - and Sam moved closer to the young man so that she could rest a hand upon his shoulder in the hopes of calming him down. The contact caused a tingling sensation to drift along her skin and deep into her stomach, and she wondered if he felt it too for there was certainly a look of surprise on his face.

"Be calm young Padawan, Qui-Gon knows what he is doing - I am sure he will return in good time with the parts we need"

Obi-Wan didn't seem to be calmed by her words, instead he was fixing her with a mixed expression on his face that seemed halfway between questioning and nervousness. He gave a half nod, his eyes moving from her to the hallway that lead toward the main conference room of the ship.

"Master Qui-Gon warned us to not make any transmissions, he fears the trade federation may try to make contact so as to make a trace"

He was trying to veer the conversation away from whatever it was he was currently thinking of though she would have to pry his worries out of him sooner later. It wouldn't do to have him festering on whatever it was that was obviously bothering him, she let out a slow exhale of breath and nodded her head to the padawan's words. In the quiet pause she watched as one of the handmaidens and guards rushed past them and toward the gangplank that would lead them down toward the sandy dunes of the planet beyond - clearly Qui-Gon was in high demand at the moment if those two wanted a word with him before he got too far away from the ship. Running a hand through her hair Sam returned her attention to Obi-Wan.

"I would suggest we don't even accept any transmissions. I have heard of some data trackers that can get a trace on location just on someone accepting a transmission - not that I expect the queen to listen to our concerns"

The padawan didn't seem as concerned as she was, that or he had more confidence that the queen would listen to them. Sam had no such confidence - the queen had already shown that she would do anything to protect her people, and the fey was sure that at some point the queen would accept a transmission to see how her people were faring. She was about to say more when the palace guard came back on board, without the company without the handmaiden that had accompanied him off the ship. Sam frowned and motioned for the man to halt before he got too far down the pristine hallway.

"Where is the handmaiden that was with you before? I would not advise her staying outside without a guard"

The man gave a slight tip of his head, one hand saluting by dipping his hat toward the female Jedi in a show of respect.

"By request of the Queen she is with Master Qui-Gon, and will be accompanying him for this trip"

With that said he left, leaving the two Jedi behind him as he went back to whatever duties had been assigned to him. Sam gave a deep sigh as she realised that this whole thing was becoming a bit of a Joke, this wasn't a tourist trip where the queen could send someone out to see the locals - this was a serious matter which the queen didn't seem to have any grasp on. There were now so many opportunities for this to go wrong, the tangled web of the immediate future had just become even more entangled and she found herself silently entreating to the force that this would all go to plan. She turned to look to Obi-Wan who was still looking in the direction of where the guard had just walked. A low cough left her, drawing the attention of the Padawan so that they could finish up their unfinished conversation.

"I think that shows what I was talking about. We accept no transmissions, I will leave you to talk with her while I talk with the guards and the pilots on the matter - now let's get the entryway closed up before the environmental controls of the ship get overloaded by adjusting to the heat coming in from that door"

With that, she made her way toward the cockpit to pass on the message to the pilots, wanting to make sure that everyone knew the plan and getting the horrible feeling that they wouldn't listen regardless.

By late afternoon by the time that everyone was settled, the Pilots having left for their chambers to rest and leaving her alone in the quiet cockpit. She'd rested her feet up on the console, allowing her body to fall back into the firm support of the chair and she gazed out at the dunes of the desert visible beyond the viewport. There wasn't much to watch given the aridness of the desert and the sheer scale of the landscape they were within, and while she could sense the lives of the animals that lived within that landscape she couldn't see them - they were too thinly distributed and the chance of her seeing anything was slim indeed. She was pulled away from her vigil of the landscape by the arrival of Obi-Wan, the padawan had a comlink held up to his lips and was talking in a low tone into the microphone - and it was easy to guess from his words that he was talking to Qui-Gon.

"A few containers of supplies, the Queen's wardrobe, maybe. But not enough for you to barter with. Not in the amounts you're talking about."

A few moments passed as Obi-Wan pulled back the comlink slightly, his body falling into one of the empty seats before Qui-Gon's dismembered voice filled the room - a slight hiss on the edge of each word as the speakers garbled his words.

"All right. I'm sure another solution will present itself. I'll check back later"

A beep from the device signaled that the call was over, and the padawan seemed to stare off in pensive silence for a moment before he even took note of the fact that he was no longer alone. He lowered the comlink down slightly as he looked toward her, his brows crinkling slightly as his other hand ran through his short hair and leaving it standing up at awkward angles - with was an achievement given how short the buzz cut was. He had picked up on her unasked question, for within moments he was filling in the older Jedi on the situation in the town.

"Master Qui-Gon found the parts we need ... however the merchant won't accept republic credits"

Ah .. so that was the problem. That would certainly be an issue given that they had nothing of value on the ship to offer in exchange for the local currency. Letting out a low sound the woman pushed back slightly so that she could swing her legs off the console and down onto the ground. Once she was sat upright the woman reached into one of the pockets in her utility belt and closed around one of the few items she owned The simple rectangular shape of the silvery colored metal didn't tell much of it's worth, it was the small gems within that ran down the length of the metal bar that had value to them. Sam closed her fingers around it, hating to part with the item when it was such an integral part of her culture - but the mission came first and she pushed herself out of the chair so that she could walk closer toward Obi-Wan. Once there she pushed the pendant toward him, the item dangling from its chain as she held it out in front of her.

"It's not much, but it should help in our efforts to get the parts we need"

Obi-Wan didn't take the part, instead he was pursing his lips as it unsure on taking it.

"I can tell this item has great meaning to you. Are you sure you wish to part with it?"

"Yes. I have no need of it ... I would rather it be put to use than sitting in my belt for years to come"

With that, she dropped the chain and pendant onto the console next to him and left the room, not wanting to give herself a chance to think on the matter further. Obi-Wan was right in that the item had great meaning to her. It was the one thing passed to her from her mother that she had been allowed to keep, and if she had not been a Jedi and had a chance to love without pestering she would have given it as a symbol of her love to her chosen mate. There was little reason to keep it, even if she did feel drawn to Obi-Wan - as she had told herself shortly before the mission came first and if the pendant helped then she was willing to give it up so that they could get the much-needed funds. She certainly didn't want to give herself any time to think about how bubbly she felt within at giving him the item - she kept having to tell herself that she had just given him it so that the mission could be continued ... this had nothing at all to do with love.

She didn't see Obi-Wan lift the pendant with hesitant fingers. She didn't see him smile wistfully, and she most certainly didn't see him gently slip the item into one of the pouches of his utility belt. If she had seen that then she might have thought differently about how she felt about him and her attraction to him, but she didn't and the moment was lost without the woman knowing of what had just transpired behind her.


	5. The Fey

**Author's Note : Finally got round to writing this and updating. Sorry on the delay, those following my profile will know my work hours have been mental and draining all my spare time. I finally got this done over the course of a what free time I had, and hope to update more frequently once work calms down.**

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**Chapter 5 | The Fey**

The day was a quiet one. The light murmurings of the crew drifting through the confines of the ship's hallways being the only sound that punctuated the stillness of the desert. Qui-Gon had already checked in earlier that morning, saying that he would look into what possibilities could be found for raising the much-needed funds, but since then there had been no word - and Sam didn't think there would be any contact from him until that night. Her slim fingers worked slowly along the length of wire she was currently holding, feeling the firm covering for defects as she moved along. None would be found, she knew that much given that none had been found on the other wires she had checked that morning, but she checked anyway. It was a habit of hers to double check everything when it came to engineering, to make sure that everything was in tip-top shape when swapping over any engine parts, and while some people might have called such an obsession obsessive compulsive she herself called it preparedness. So many things could go wrong in the galaxy, and life was a fragile thing. So why take chances with that life by only checking the wires once? So many things could be missed by one check, and she wasn't willing to risk the lives on the crew on possible faulty wiring.

"You know, I have already checked those wires. Everything is ready for when Master Qui-Gon returns."

The sound of Obi Wan's voice pulled her attention away from the wire, her brows drifting upward toward her hairline as she looked up at the young man. The padawan was leaned casually against the doorway into the engine bay, his arms crossed in front of his body and a quirky smile on his face as he looked toward her. His expression however, was the complete opposite of that smile on his face. Sam could see that he wasn't happy that someone was questioning his ability to check the wiring for faults, and she could totally understand that feeling. She herself had once been young and had also had her skills questioned by much older Jedi then herself ... it had made her feel like she wasn't good at anything. A low sigh parted her lips as she sat back on her ankles, stretching out her back slowly and enjoying the sensation of not being hunched over in the small access panel.

"I am aware that they have been checked. I just wanted to check for myself. It is an old habit of mine to make sure that things have been looked over twice"

Obi Wan's expression didn't change. Either he thought she was saying such things just to get him off her back, or he felt the explanation was not enough to make up for the fact that his skill was being questioned. Sam felt herself frowning slightly, and brushed her fingers through her hair so that the silvery locks were arranged over the back of her scalp in a messy fashion before she continued talking to the padawan. She didn't want him to feel like she was questioning his skills, she trusted that he was knew what he was doing, but that wouldn't stop her from making the checks for her own peace of mind.

"This is nothing to do with trusting your skill. I trust that you have checked the wires and that there are no faults. I am just cautious, there is so much riding on this mission and I will feel better once I have checked the wires for myself"

That seemed to put the male at ease. That or he had accepted that she would check regardless of what he said on the matter. His shoulders shifted slightly to a more relaxed level as he pushed away from the doorway and stepped into the room. As he moved he gave her a slight nod of his head and a more neutral look drifted over his face as he moved closer to where she was kneeling beside the access panel.

"I can understand that. Would you like some company while you finish up?"

It was a question that made her pause a moment. Would she like his company? So far on this mission she had been content to keep her distance from the male, not wanting to foster any feelings on either side - especially with how her body already reacted to his presence. But it would be nice to have some company for awhile despite how she felt, he was the only one on the ship that seemed comfortable to talk to her. The crew, while welcoming, seemed to have a slight nervousness toward her - being a Jedi seemed to have that effect on people. People tended to see her as some kind of otherworldly being and treated her with cool respect and awe, and that tended to mean that there were no real conversations to be found beyond how she could help those people. Obi-Wan at least understood that, and could talk to her as if she was a normal person. As much as she didn't want to foster feelings she still missed conversation with someone that could understand her at some level.

"You are welcome to stay. I will not be much longer, this is the last wire to be checked"

Was that a smile on his face? He seriously seemed pleased that she had accepted his company in the room and he settled himself so that he was stood by her left-hand side. While he wasn't close to her, he was still near enough that she swore that she could feel his warmth against her, and her skin on the side nearest to him tingled at how near he was. It was a sensation that had her turning back to the wire, longing to put aside the feeling she felt and the awkwardness she felt at feeling such sensations. Obi-Wan, however, wouldn't let her drift back into complete focus on the wire, for the young man was talking to her once again.

"Master Qui-Gon told me something odd once. He said that you helped train him when he was an initiate and that you remember the rediscovery of the Cularian System. That must make you at least two hundred years old, but that can't be right. You look to be in your twenties to me"

It was an awkward statement. Sam didn't much like talking about her age with other people. Very few people knew about her life span, and those that did found such knowledge to be unsettling - mainly because they as short-lived species could not grasp the length of time she herself had existed for. It didn't help that such things had been brought up by the person that Yoda was asking her to consider as a romantic interest. It served to remind her just how much older she was than him. Sam couldn't help but to cringe slightly at the thought, but she knew that she had to talk to him about this - she got the feeling he wouldn't let such a topic go undiscussed now that he had brought it up with her. That he would pursue it more if she tried to deny him the knowledge he sought.

"I am surprised, that as your teacher he didn't teach you about my species when he talked of such things. While I may look young, it is an outward appearance that does not match the time that I have lived. I am a fey, and as such I can live for millennia if I don't happen to die from an outside influence. But even against my kind I am young, a mere four hundred years old"

His eyes were wide, looking at her in disbelief and a little bit of uncertainty. Clearly he was having trouble putting her comments together with her physical appearance. She gave him as calming a smile as she could, fingers running over the last of the wire before tucking the whole lot back into the access panel and closing it. Sam would give him a moment to process the information she had just given him, her legs pushing her upright so that she stood beside him. The padawan still looked to be taking the information in, his eyes giving her body a quick once over in a way that caused her to feel shy and giddy. It was a brief moment that passed as Obi-Wan gave her wry smile, hands moving to interlock his fingers in front of his torso.

"Well ... I didn't ask Qui-Gon to enlighten me, I thought such a subject to be a personal one to him - and he didn't seem eager to tell me more"

Sam gave a laugh, shaking her head and patting a hand to his shoulder.

"I jest Obi-Wan. I know he wouldn't have discussed such a subject with you. I asked him to keep such details to himself, I didn't want knowledge of what I was spreading through the ranks of the Jedi order. People are a fickle thing, even among Jedi, and you never know when someone will turn and sell off information to unscrupulous kinds"

So far she'd kept the knowledge to a bare few minimum people. Opening the knowledge up to another was risky business, but she felt that as the padawan of Qui-Gon then he would have been taught to be diplomatic with his knowledge of any secret information. Giving him another pat she made sure to fit him with a firm stare, her lips thinning as a more serious expression drifted over her features - one that had his posture changing to one of a more serious one.

"I give you this information young padawan, and I trust you will not betray my trust in you by telling others of my species. We are few, and there are many that would do anything to know of our continued existence"

"Why? I do not see why anyone would go to lengths to know of long-lived species. Yoda is old but no one hunts him and he is open about his species"

Obi Wan's questioning was justified, many species of near-humans lived in peace - but the recent history of her own wasn't especially nice. The fey removed her hand and moved past him, her slow pace taking her out into the hallway. Obi-Wan slipped into place beside her, the curiosity on his young face keenly noticeable on the odd occasion she looked back at him. Sam really got the impression that he was eager to learn more, his body was leaning toward her slightly and he was keeping in step beside her so that he was in hearing distance of her words. The conversation had been in awkward territory for some time, so why not go further? Still, she didn't like that the information she had to share was of an unpleasant variety.

"My people have been in decline for centuries. When I was born we had been considered to be near extinction, I was the first child born in over nine hundred years - usually species die out due to low birth rates, and while that is also true in the fey it wasn't helped that a few species thought that we had magical powers due to our lifespan. They thought, that if they hunted us down and powdered down parts of our body for consumption then they would gain our long life. They fey were hunted down till only a few thousand remained .. these days we survive in small and hidden villages on a few backwater planets."

She felt cold, talking of the way her people had been hunted always had this effect on her. She'd been lucky to reach adulthood, usually the young were killed first due to how vulnerable they were, but she'd been found to be strong in the force and had been recruited into the ranks of the Jedi order. In the temple she had been protected and nurtured through her days as an initiate, and when she had become a padawan her master had been told that she was another near human species similar to her own just to protect her. Now, as an adult and a knight, she could choose with whom to share her secret. A low sound from the padawan reminded her that she had company, and she turned back to take in his saddened facial features.

"I am sorry. I had no idea. I promise you I will tell no one what you have told me today."

He paused a moment, seeming to be thinking before moving forward to rest his own hand on her shoulder. The pressure caused her to come to a halt in the hallway, one brow raised curiously in a silent askance for him to continue.

"I would like to learn more of your people some day, about their culture and beliefs ... "

It was a request that Sam wasn't sure she would fulfill. She'd already shared with him a great deal more than she usually did. Her hand lifted up to rest on his, feeling the calluses under the pads of his fingers as she gently removed his hand from her shoulder before any of the queen's personal came into the hallway and saw them thus. Obi-Wan to his credit did not seem too upset by her movement to remove his hand, but then again he'd been taught to not have strong emotions - so it was to be expected that he would not be upset with her actions.

"Some day. We fey rarely share our cultural beliefs with outside people, but perhaps I will tell you more ... that is if we ever see each other again after this mission."

"I hope we do see each other again, perhaps we can work on missions once I pass my trials"

That was the last thing she wanted to hear. She wanted to move on with life, tell Yoda that Obi-Wan wasn't the male for her and go back to her solitary missions and helping those that needed it most. Obi-Wan, however, wanted to meet up with her again at some point, and she could feel that it was - for now, out of a desire to work with someone beyond his master and to learn more about her kind. But what about when that desire transcended those simple desires? She was hardly scared of emotions, but she didn't want to think about what that might mean to someone like Obi-Wan. If they fell for each other would he turn to the dark side purely because that's what he was taught would happen if he did fall in love. She knew how to walk that edge, to feel and yet not give in to the call of the dark side, but he - he didn't know how to deal with that. He'd not been trained as she had. It was for the best to let him think they would work together and to step back, in time he would forget, and in a few decades he would pass away into the force with no memories of having met her. Sam adjusted the folds of her shirt between her fingers, feeling the rough fabric and using it to focus away from the fact that she would have to lie to him.

"Perhaps. It depends on master Yoda. Often enough it is he that decides on whom to send out on particular missions"

Well, it wasn't quite a lie, rarely did a Jedi get to chose their own assignments. Though she got the feeling, the sick feeling, that Yoda would indeed send her and Obi-Wan on missions together for some time in an effort to make sparks fly between them. He'd done such things before, and she was sure he would do so again - Yoda was like an old dog with a bone, unwilling to give up on the subject when there was still hope to bring some solution to it. Sam was about to say something further when one of the queen's men came around the corner of the hallway, a drawn look on his face as he looked over at the two Jedi standing in the hallway.

"We have received a transmission from Naboo, we request your presence master Jedi"

Sam groaned slightly at the news. She had said specifically not to accept such transmissions, but the queen had seemingly overruled that order. The very thing she had worried would happen had just happened, and the most that could be done was to do some damage control! They had to get to the transmission room and stop the queen from making a reply transmission. Giving Obi-Wan one last look Sam turned on her heel and rushed toward the transmission room, hoping that they wouldn't be too late to stop the queen making another disastrous mistake!


	6. Learning the Heart

**Chapter 6 | Learning the Heart **

The voice of Sio Bibble filled the room, his blue form flickering as the holo continued to play. Sam couldn't believe the sheer arrogance of the queen, for having gone completely over their own orders and accepting the holocall from Tatooine.

"The death toll is catastrophic...we must bow to their wishes... you must contact me ..."

The look on Amidala's face was one of upset and nervousness, an expression easy to pick out even on her heavily painted face. The queen obviously didn't like the situation that was playing out on her home planet, but as a third party Sam could easily distance herself from the emotions of the situation. The transmission, while informative, was also a ploy to get the queen to reveal where she was. Sam knew that Sio Bibble wouldn't willingly deceive his queen, but people could do all kinds of terrible things if their own lives were threatened. He could have made the transmission under duress, giving false information about how bad things were. Sam frowned, lips pursing as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"It's a trick. Send no reply... Send no transmission of any kind."

Sam was glad that it was Obi-Wan that made the order. She didn't think she could have said anything without sounding sarcastic, and she was more than happy to leave the room as she followed after the Padawan. The meeting was over, there was nothing more to say on the matter, and Sam didn't want to spend any more time among the queen's entourage then she would like. Obi-Wan turned to look at her as they walked, a low sound leaving him as he addressed her.

"It is a trick is it not? What if people are dying?"

She sighed, it seemed the padawan was not so sure of his orders after all.

"In war people will die, there is nothing we can do for them ... especially if we allow ourselves to be caught by the trade federation. Because that is what will happen if we take the bait and establish a firmer trace ... we will be found, and the queen forced to sign their treaty. If that happens then the death toll really will be catastrophic.

Obi-Wan's sound of relief told her that he was pleased that he had done right. Though there was something still bothering him, she could feel it in the air around him. She could see it in the way he wrung his hands in the barest of motions. The padawan was on edge about something, and he was quick to get to the point of the matter - that was the good thing about padawans, they were always eager to talk of their concerns.

"I ... felt your emotions in the meeting ... the frustration ... the annoyance. Master Yoda said to be mindful of our emotions, to be wary of them for being out of balance can lead to the dark side. I can feel you are a ball of emotion ... but yet you are balanced. I do not understand"

So that's what his look was about? He had tuned into her presence in the force and had seen the mix of flaring lights and emotions. Sam trailed a hand through her hair, feeling the smooth locks and giving him a pointed look.

"I was taught differently to you. My master was a Corellian Jedi, and some might have called him a 'gray' Jedi for his beliefs. Under him, I learned a great many things, to walk a path of balance within your own emotions - and to never let desire for power to pull you down a path you don't want to follow"

The fey turned her head, adjusting the fall of her hair over her shoulder, and continued down the hallway. She wasn't really sure what her plans were at that point, but they certainly hadn't involved teaching a padawan about her training and upbringing. Sam didn't want to 'corrupt' the padawan with any ideas, her training had worked with her - something that had been planned by Yoda so that she could have a family and still be a Jedi. But for someone like Obi-Wan, who had been taught in the traditional way such things were very much new and awfully tempting.

"Would you even ... love ... if you chose to?"

Obi-Wan's question drew her out of her thoughts, and she wondered if there was a hole for her to crawl into. Of all the people to ask her about love it HAD to have been Obi-Wan. She was sure that she was blushing, the heat in her face being quite obvious as she stepped into one of smaller rooms off the ship's hallway. Once inside she allowed herself to fall into one of the chairs within it, her body slumping heavily into it as Obi-Wan took the chair opposite her.

"That ... is ... a delicate subject. There are sects of Jedi that allow such things, and I am sure you have heard of them at some point in your learning. As a Jedi, I follow the code and the code says such things are forbidden as such passions lead to the dark side. I ... however ... have dispensation to have a family due to the rarity of my species ... and for that I must love"

The look on his face was one of mild surprise, his brows raised and his head dropping forward to rest on his linked fingers. Sam hadn't even planned to mention her 'dispensation' to him. It had just bubbled up out of her, and as awkward as it was it felt good to talk about such things to someone. Obi-Wan made a slight motion with the top parts of his fingers, his head shifting in a curious manner as if her words hadn't really answered his question at all.

"Ki-Adi-Mundi had such dispensation too. While he cares for his family, I believe he distances himself so not as to have too deep a connection"

"Ki-Adi-Mundi is not Fey. For a fey to have a family we must have a deep connection. A child can only come from what we call 'huusak' ... the union of two compatible lovers. You humans would call such people your soul mates."

What was it about the padawan that made her want to share her deepest secrets with him. He had that kind of look to him, that calm look of understanding and serenity. That you could share anything with him and he would never think any differently of you. Very few people outside her own knew of huusak, it was a sacred thing - a thing so rare to find with her kind so decimated. Finding one's 'match' was the most wondrous thing that could happen to a fey, other than having children that were. But to share that sacred thing with someone outside her kind? It felt awkward ... and yet good at the same time. If her kind was dying then what was wrong with telling someone about their culture so that it could be saved for prosperity. Well, as long as it wasn't wiped out of the history data banks that was.

"These soul mates ... you would know when you find them? Such things are talked about so often among the species of the galaxy, yet for all their words they flit from one soul mate to the next ..."

Her hands lifted so that she could rest her face in her palms for a moment, rubbing her palms over her cheeks as she lifted her eyes to once again look at the padawan - who seemed determined to make her spill every one of her secrets.

"Yes. While humans claim to know whom their soul mates are, we actually feel it ... physically, mentally, and spiritually"

"I assume then that you have not felt this ... feeling ... seeing as you have no family"

"No. I have not"

Well, that was a barefaced lie. Sam had totally felt those feelings, had felt the pull of her soul toward his, but she wasn't going to tell the padawan that she had felt such things! If she did then he'd be pushing her to find out whom it was, and she wasn't going to walk down that path! She wished that Obi-Wan didn't look at her as if he didn't believe her, one of his brows raised upward and his pursed lips just about visible from above the knuckles of his fingers. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and she felt suddenly rather aware of the space between them. While the room was spacious enough she felt crowded, and almost wished that someone would come in and ask for their assistance. No one came, however, and she could only shift backward in her seat in an effort to feel less crowded.

"The other person ... would they feel it too?"

Sam just about choked on her own saliva at the question, her coughing filling the room as she tried not to think about the implications of the question. She had wondered if he had felt such things a few times but had ultimately pushed it aside - not wanting to explore the possibilities. Perhaps, with luck it would just be him asking out of curiosity. But what if it was something more? What if he was asking because of how he felt? Reaching out through the force she tried to get a sense of why he was asking, and the most prominent feeling she got from him was one of nervousness as well as the curiosity. It told her nothing on why he was asking. He could have been nervous to ask a prying question, or nervous because he didn't want to reveal an inner feeling ... either way it didn't solve her conundrum. What she wouldn't give to be with Qui-Gon right now, the Jedi master was having a much easier time of things the she was! In the end, she would have to be honest with him because he had already revealed that he knew when she was hiding the truth of things from him.

"Yes. They would know of such things"

A look of understanding swept over his face as if something suddenly made a lot of sense to him. It made Sam wonder if she had made the wrong choice - what if she had read this all wrong and he had been asking because he had felt the pull too? She had not wanted to encourage matters, and now she might well have inadvertently stepped right into Yoda's plan. She lifted her hands, palms outward as she tried to correct the situation before things really did get out of control.

"I should of course mention, this is all among the Fey. Such a connection between a fey and another species has yet to be recorded ... it is believed to not exist"

That didn't seem to placate the padawan. He frowned and moved a hand in front of him in a thoughtful manner. Suddenly seeming much older than he really was, and she caught just a hint of what the male would be like when he had grown up a little more.

"Could it, though ... could it exist? I mean what if they never looked? There are many species that have thought to have died out, but if we don't know then the galaxy rules out the possibility that they - like your own people, still exist"

It was an interesting argument. Could her species have been saved if her kind had looked for 'huusak' outside of their species? The paranoia and lack of trust of the outside world had, of course, meant that none had looked. In the end, her species chose to be secluded from the rest of the world, and it would eventually lead to their ultimate demise.

"It is not sure if such a thing could exist. After what happened with our kind would it really surprise you if they chose to look among their own species for love? If the galaxy had been kinder than they might well have looked, and theoretically it could well have been found to exist. Perhaps it might have even already have been found. Who is to say a Fey didn't find a bond outside their kind ... but in the end ignored it because of actions of non-Fey. Just because a huusak is found doesn't mean that it is always acted upon, some chose not to follow through because they did not wish to have families. Why have a family when it could be so easily destroyed? So many have already faced that particular torture and such knowledge has meant that most prefer to live a single life with no strong connections"

Silence filled the room. Obi-Wan's expression becoming one of sadness as the words she had spoken sunk into his thoughts. The horrors of the hunt had remained in her culture, sure it had been a few hundred years since the last massacre, but when every member of your species had been alive for it such things tended to not be forgotten. Those that had not found their Huusak had simply chosen to never look for it - for fear their family would be ripped apart. She was too young at the time to truly remember the last hunt, but she remembered the effect it had on those that had lost their families. The heart-wrenching pain of losing a mother, father, daughter or son. She could easily see why someone wouldn't want to have a family with such memories in play. It was a long moment before Obi-Wan moved again, his head lifting from his hands so that he could reach out with one of them. His palm resting on her knee as he let out a slow breath.

"It is a great shame when the actions of a galaxy ruin the chance of happiness for a whole people. Perhaps, with time such past miseries can be forgiven. I know it is not easy for all, but perhaps a few could find joy in their lives"

She appreciated the thought but didn't think her people could forgive so easily. The calmness she got from the weight of his hand on her knee was counterbalanced by her sadness. The question was could she come to terms with how she felt. When Yoda had said to look to Obi-Wan she had thought that he would be like any other, that she would feel nothing for him. But she did. Life had become complicated, and she knew she had to bring herself back into balance before the chaos within her gained control.

"Perhaps. It is not for me to tell them when to forgive. I can only control my own feelings on the matter, and as a Jedi I am learning to forgive such things. Who is to say what the future holds."

The words she spoke had a calming effect on him. The relief was palpable on the air, his hand giving her knee a light press as he continued the contact - contact that she allowed as she felt herself relaxing. A defining moment had just passed her by. She had come to terms with her feelings, that she could allow the future to happen as it would. No longer would she deny it because she wanted to give Yoda a good case of 'I told you so'. If her soul told her that he would be the one then she was willing to listen from now on ... but it wouldn't be easy. She still didn't know what Obi-Wan thought of her, and how would she even broach the subject with him? It was a question she found herself meditating on later on in the day. Long after Obi-Wan had left her to answer the chirp of his comlink, and hours after he had given her knee one last reassuring squeeze.

Legs crossed under her, and hands cupped in front of her stomach the woman closed her eyes. For days, she had felt conflicted ... but now she felt at peace. But what would the future hold? Would it hold the vision that she had seen in the force not that long ago? Would it hold something much different? Whatever it held she was now willing to welcome it with open arms.


	7. Taking Bets

**Chapter 7: Taking Bets**

The night hadn't been an entirely restful one. The sound of the raging sand storm had kept her from fully falling into restful sleep. Each time she had almost fallen asleep the wind would gust once again, spraying the ship with more sand and causing a loud skittering sound that would jerk her awake. It was almost dawn by the time that the storm had started to fade, and by that time Sam had accepted that she would not be getting any sleep. So she pushed herself out of the small, and rather cramped bed she had been resting in. The craft they were in certainly hadn't been built with an extended crew in mind, and the room she had accepted as her own had little more than a day bed in it. With a thin mattress, and slim sleeping space there wasn't really much in the way of comfort. As a Jedi she had always been told that her comfort was unimportant, that she should not want for such thing, but as she stood there she felt that it was wrong to deny a bit of comfort of anyone. Especially when that person put their lives at risk every day of the week.

A comfortable bed let to a well rested person, and a well rested person was likely to perform better than one that hadn't had a good night's rest. Samantha was clearly feeling that theory, she could feel the grogginess in her system and the heaviness of her eyes. Any other jedi would have pulled off the force to solve that issue, but she didn't believe in that any more then she did in using stims - especially seeing as they were not exactly in a situation that needed either. Her left hand lifted up to run through her hair as she let out a yawn, ruffling the locks as she stepped out of the small room and into the quiet hallway. It seemed that she was not the only one that had a bad night, judging by the quietness of the ship, and the lack of people wandering the hallways. There were more than likely a few people that were sleeping in to try and grab a few more hours of much needed rest. As for herself she made her way toward the conference room, her steps slow but sure as she walked along. If she was going to be awake at this hour of the day then might as well make use of it. Normally the large room would be used for meetings, but this morning she had a very different use in mind for it.

It was a short trip to make, just a few yards from her own chambers. As expected the room was empty, except for a few chairs that sat in a semicircle in the middle of the room. The chairs she simply moved to the sides of the room, carrying each from their previous spots to their new ones so that there was more room in the centre in the room for her needs. Once everything had been set out she shrugged out of the heavy brown cloak, laying it over the back of one of the chairs after careful folding. Free of the fabric she felt a lot lighter, and a heck of a lot cooler. She also had the ability to move a little easier now she was just in her cream colored robes, the traditionally folded lengths of fabric and obi a visual reminder of her affiliation to the force. Slowly she brushed down the fabric, feeling the roughness of the cotton, and the thinness in comparison to the cloak she had just taken off. With the cloak now off she moved to the center of the room, hands coming together in front of her as she centered herself. A sense of calmness settling within her that she hadn't felt in a long few days. That calm had settled the day before - the day she had finally accepted her emotions for Obi-Wan and had accepted whatever fate had in mind for her.

As the calm settled she moved her arms up, and around her. Moving into slow movements around her body. Her limbs moving in slow and deliberate arcs around her body, her feet being placed in specific spots to keep the momentum of her arms going. To an observer her movements would look like that of a dance, her hands twisting in the air gracefully to punctuate each arc of her arms. But this was no dance, the movements while graceful where all made with one aim in mind - to defend oneself from an opponent. Very few Jedi were trained in hand to hand combat, most put a great focus in Ataru or Soretsu and she could already tell that Obi-Wan was one such Jedi. As for herself? Well she had trained in four of the seven forms, and even used a few styles that wouldn't even be officially recognised by the Jedi. Her knowledge of hand-to-hand combat was one such style. The form having been learned during her brief time with her people before being discovered by the Jedi. Usually a Jedi would forget the ways of their culture as they were pulled deeper into the learnings of the Jedi, but she hadn't. She viewed the unarmed combat style of her people to be a good skill to retain - after all what happened if you didn't have use of your lightsaber for some reason? The force was useful as a defense, but it was always good to have some other way to defend yourself and get quickly back on the offense. Besides the movements of the martial art where very meditative, the slow movements allowing her to take stock of her body and the flow of the force around her.

Today there was a sense of anticipation in the force, a sense of quiet stillness that she knew would soon be broken. Sam wondered if that had something to do with what Qui-Gon was planning? He, Jar-Jar, and Padme had spent the night sheltering from the sandstorm with a native boy and his family. There was something in the force ringing in her ears, a distinct feeling that there was something in that situation that was important, but masked as the force was it was hard to make out distinctly what she had missed. Her fingers stiffened as she worked her arms into smaller movements, feeling the air moving over her skin as her movements quickened and became more precise. Each motion working to strike out at, and jab at imaginary foes within the room. Sam could distinctly feel the sensation of sweat beading on her brows as she continued to push her body through the routine. It was a sign that she was out of practice, of how long it had last been since she had done this. Her arms were about to once more move through another intricate motion when she caught sight of Obi-Wan stepping into the room from the corner of her eyes. He had a comlink held to his lips and was in deep conversation with someone.

"What if this plan fails, Master? We could be stuck here for a long time"

The arc of her arm stopped in mid-sweep, her body moving to a standing position as the males voice filled the room. Qui-Gon had finally made contact it seemed, and had come up with some kind of plan. A plan that had put a certain amount of doubt into the padawan's mind. Sam could see it in the nervous pace of the young man and the firm set of his lips.

"Well, it's too dangerous to call for help now. A ship without a power supply isn't gonna get us anywhere, and... there is something about this boy..."

A quiet chirp from the comlink said that Qui-Gon had signed off, leaving Obi-Wan looking down into the comlink with slight disapproval. Sam let him gather his thoughts a moment before coughing lightly, gaining the attention of the young man. The way he jolted out of his thoughts told her that he hadn't been expecting to see anyone in the room. He quickly regained composure of himself, pocketing the comlink before lowering himself into one of the seats that she had laid out along the walls. Sam kept an eye on him as she slowly moved back into her previous exercises, keeping the movements slow so that she could conduct a conversation with the padawan.

"Qui-Gon spoke of a plan. What is this plan, and why has it gotten you so worked up?"

She kept her tone smooth so not as to offend the male, and she watched as he adjusted one of the hems of his robes. Once the hem was arranged to his satisfaction he let out a soft sound, his head shaking as if he barely believed that he was saying.

"Qui-Gon is asking this boy, this Anakin, to participate in a pod race. If he wins we get our parts ... if he loses, we lose the ship. I don't like that we're placing everything on slim odds that this boy wins in a pod race"

Her right hand came round as she took in the words, fingers turning in the air, and turning the hand upward as she took in his words. Calmness flowed through her, and she certainly felt a little more energised now that she had gone through the calming motions. Sam turned to fix one eye on his a moment, and flashed him a wry smile as she gave him a response she was sure he wouldn't entirely like.

"I am sure Qui-Gon wouldn't make such a bet if he felt the odds where not in our favor. If he has enough faith in the boy to make such a bet, then we can rest assured that everything else will work out to plan. Be calm Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon knows what he is doing, and I am sure we will be off this planet soon"

Obi-Wan gave her a frustrated look, as she had expected. He was the kind of Jedi that liked to base his plans around a certain degree of certainty, and while she did also like some certainly she also knew that sometimes you have to think outside the box when it came to plans. Sometimes you just had to make a plan, and reach out to the force to feel what actions would have the greatest likelihood to succeed. Qui-Gon had clearly done such a thing, and felt the risk was worth taking. If the boy lost? Well if that happened then there would be other ways off planet, even if those methods did involve a slight degree of risk on everyone's part. Giving one final flourish she finished up the last movement of her sequence, letting out a slow breath as she pressed her hands back to their starting position and took a moment to take in the quiet of the room. Obi-Wan was still processing her words, and she could feel his eyes watching her every move as she finally stepped from the spot where she had been for the last hour or so. He gave a slight movement of his hands, moving them from his calves and moving them to rest in his lap. Moments after he settled in that position she came to sit beside him.

"Obi-Wan ... I know you don't particularly like this. Sometimes plans don't go to plan, and sometimes risks have to be taken. If the boy loses then we will find another way off the planet. But we can't know till we take that chance because if we don't take it we are going to be stuck here anyway"

He nodded, showing his understanding of the situation. Then he motioned toward the spot where she had been previously exercising, his expression neutral despite the fact that something bubbled within him that she couldn't quite get a grasp on. It most closely resembled admiration, and she guessed for someone that had never seen the dance before it would be quite impressive.

"The movements you were making. They were quite elegant, like a dance. It reminds me of Tae-Jitsu ... but some elements are very different"

She chuckled lightly, letting her legs stretch out in front of her so that she was fully relaxed into the chair. Eyes half closed as she allowed herself to sink into the back support of the furnishing.

"It is a little like Tae-Jitsu, but there are a few differences as you have already noted. My people call it Kri-Karik ... the dance of the winds. It is a martial art passed down between the generations, and I was taught it before I entered the Jedi ranks"

He frowned slightly, lips pursed as he looked over her from the corners of his eyes.

"You learned it before you joined? But wouldn't that have made you too old to join the order"

Sam could understand that sentiment, there had been more than a few Jedi that had argued that she was too old when she had been discovered. While she might have looked to be near to twelve years old, she had been much younger in the developmental stage. It was her mental development that had made the exception seeing as she was nearer a four year old when it came to her people's growth.

"In human biology I might have been yes. In human terms my body was near twelve years old at the time, but fey take a lot longer than a human to develop mentally and emotionally. In human terms of development I was nearer to a four year old then the almost teenager I looked to be ... It met with a lot of opposition. None of them knew what I was, all they saw was some punk teenager flying in under Yoda's nose ... a lot of them thought I would become Sith."

She shrugged, the opinions of the other Jedi had never bothered he. If they thought she would be Sith then that was their problem and not hers. Obi-Wan wrinkled his nose, his head shaking ever so slightly.

"I do not think you would become sith. If they had known about what you where they I doubt they would either. I am sure that if they saw you now they would soon change their minds."

It was a comment that Sam often had going through her mind. That those that had said an older initiate would fall to the darkside would soon change their minds if they saw her as a Jedi still. Not that such a thing would ever happen. Those Jedi had passed into the force long ago, the only one that had known her in that time being Yoda and he had already known what she was.

"Who's to say what they think. They are long gone, and I won't pursue such thoughts on what could have been. Besides I never cared for what others thought of me. I knew my path and what was required of me to walk it - the concerns of others have no impact on such things. If I had let it bother me, then I am sure their predictions would have become true. I wasn't about to let the words of a few Jedi determine my fate, and they never will determine my fate."

He gave a nod, as if he understood that. Obi-Wan himself had struggled in his days as an initiate and a padawan, and although it wasn't near like what she had gone through it was enough to have a certain level of knowledge of what the other had experienced. Her determination to walk her own path was the reason why she and Yoda so often come to blows. The Grand Master would interpret the will of the force in one way, and she would see it in an entirely different way - this was especially the case when it came to her choosing a lover. She shifted in her chair, making a small adjustment so that she felt more comfortable against the harsh metal and plastic. All around them came the sounds of the residents of the ship, the soft chatter of guards as they walked down the hallways, and the smell of food cooking in the galley. It was enough to make her stomach growl in protest, the sound seeming to vibrate through her body in a reminder of just how long it had been since she had eaten. Slowly the Fey pushed herself up from her seat, fingers wrapping around her thick cloak, and then resting it in the crook of her elbow.

"We should get something to eat. It will not be an eventful day, but we might as well stock up on nutrients while we can ... besides, I heard that the cook makes decent hotcakes"

She gave him an encouraging smile, and was glad when he moved into step behind her. While she wouldn't have been bothered to eat alone, it was much better to know that she would have the company of the padawan. For the first time she really realised just how much time she spent with him, nearly every day since they had left Coruscant! It was as if she gravitated toward him, despite the fact she had spent half the time trying to keep away from him. Now she actually wanted to spend time with him. Firstly because no one else on the ship really had anything of note to say to her, and secondly because she wanted to know more about the male - to find out if the feelings she had for him where true. Sam also wanted to try and get a feel on how he felt about her, because so far she hadn't really picked up on much from the male beyond nervousness and curiosity. Any normal person would have outright asked a love interest how they felt, but neither of them were normal ... they were Jedi.

She had to tread carefully, and having breakfast with him would provide the groundwork to find out how he felt. Because the sooner she had some idea on how he felt, the sooner she could deal with the results of her investigation. The problem was, how did you go about asking someone if they liked you, without outright asking if they liked you too? Sam didn't know. She'd not really been given any formal talk of the birds and the bees, and she certainly wasn't told how to flirt with someone ... they were not exactly things that the Jedi taught at the temple. Sure she'd learned a few things off her master, but she didn't feel that they helped with someone like Obi-Wan. It was a process that would have to be taken slowly, and today she would start those baby steps of seeing if there would ever be something more between them then a casual acquaintanceship between them.

Stepping into the kitchens, Sam knew that today would be far more eventful than she ever could have expected.


	8. Revelations

**Authors Note**

**I'M BACK! Work is not so crazy and I now have time to write. I know that is a fairly short chapter, but I wanted to keep it short to help me get back into writing. I also wanted to give you guys an update after waiting patiently for so long. I hope you all enjoy it and I will aim to update this again within the next couple of weeks or so!**

**~ Mandochk**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Revelations.**

It had been some hours since breakfast, and the ship was once again still and quiet. The night before it had been because of the waging snow storm throwing sand against the side of the ship. Now it was because she'd allowed the ship to be opened up so that those that wished to could exercise on the planet's surface. Being cooped up on the ship for days on end wasn't good for anyone, and despite the heat of the planet, it was still nice to be able to get out and stretch one's legs. Sam was doing just that thing right now, her body leaning against one of the ship's landing gears while she watched the lazy flight of a flock of avians across the empty sky.

She wasn't sure exactly what the species name of the birds was, but it was nice to see signs of life on the planet regardless. It had seemed so empty to her eyes, and while she had sensed life for days it was still nevertheless nice to see signs of that life. Resting her head in against the cold metal the woman watched as a group of handmaidens walked past her. The pale orange and pink of their robes a stark contrast against the sand. Soft whispers came from the group as they conversed among themselves, their slow path taking them around the outer limits of the ship's shadow. In the shade, it was, at least, a little bit cooler, and most of the queen's party kept to that shade. A couple, mainly the guards, moved out into the sun for short moments of time to scan the sand dunes for danger, but beyond that most kept near to the ship.

Obi-Wan himself seemed content to wander further afield, his cloak whipping around his body in the light breeze. He looked at home on this hot planet, his stance relaxed and head held high as he scanned the dunes. Sam got a sense in the force that this wouldn't be the last time that Obi-Wan would be on Tatooine. He would return here some day to wander the dunes. A legendary figure that drifted among the dunes with the prevailing winds. Crossing her arms over her chest she wondered what it was that would draw him back here, reaching into the vague movements of the force. There was nothing there to be told, the force never revealed its secrets with ease - all she knew was that he would return and he wouldn't be alone.

He wouldn't be alone. It was that thought that brought her comfort. She hated the thought of him being here on his own, a singular man against all the scum and villainy that the planet had to offer.

A low cough from beside her drew her attention to the handmaiden that stood beside her. What was the woman's name now? Sam honestly could not recall. All the handmaidens looked the same to her, and she really didn't know what name belonged to which face.

"Mistress Jedi, how long do you think we will be here? The queen worries for her people, and I want some hope to give to her so she might worry less"

It was a request that Sam had no answer for. The boy Qui-Gon was pinning all his hopes on hadn't even raced yet, and the force wasn't telling her anything on what the results of that race would be. All she could feel was a vague warning in the force, a darkness that shrouded everything and on Tatooine that feeling was stronger than it ever had been.

"I do not know. Master Jinn is doing his best to secure parts for us, but it is difficult when the locals won't take out republic credits. The force tells me that all will be well, you can assure your Queen that we will soon be on the way"

It was a small lie. The force hadn't told her anything, but she felt sure that Qui-Gon was on the right path, and she trusted his judgement and trust in this boy. The handmaiden gave her a smile, giving a small word of thanks before moving off to join her companions. At the very least her words had brought comfort to the woman, and, in turn, her queen. Wasn't that part of her job as a Jedi? To bring comfort to people that needed it, and defend them where need be. Letting out a slow breath she watched as the small group returned to the inside of the aircraft. With the chatting women now gone quiet reigned once again on the hot sands of Tatooine. Sam let out another slow breath, closing her eyes and allowing herself to relax against the warm metal behind her. She could hear the sounds of the aircraft vibrating through her body, the creaks and groans that told of the metal contracting under the heat of the beating sun.

The brief chatter of a couple of guards briefly worked its way into her ears, telling her of the passing of the pair as they walked past. She wasn't sure if they went back into the craft, or were still outside on the sand. Either way, it didn't matter much, she kept herself focused, feeling the heartbeat of the ship against her body and the whispers of the sand as it drifted in the wind. Tatooine, for all the darkness it presented in the force, was a deceptively serene place. It wasn't the planet itself that was the cause of the sensations in the force, it was the people in it. What was it about the planet that drew in such people? Was it that no one else could put up with the extreme climate? Or was it because the criminal under base of the planet knew that no one would willingly search for them here? It was hard to say, it could easily be both reasons or neither.

The sound of footfalls approaching caused her to open one eye, her gaze falling upon Obi-Wan as he stepped in under the shadow of the ship. Once he was fully in under the shade he pulled back the protective cover of his cloak's hood, and he took a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the shady conditions. By the time he was settled Sam had opened both eyes, watching the padawan and wondering what it was that had drawn him away from his previous standing spot. He didn't seem to be worried about anything, all she could feel was the same calmness he presented on the sand dunes.

"What's up?"

He gathered his robes around him as Sam questioned him, his gaze travelling out over the dunes.

"You sense it too, don't you?"

She pursed her lips, then nodded.

"Yes, the dark side whispers in this place - it's the people. The Tusken, the criminals, and others that don't follow the path of the light ... they sully the force here. There is some beauty to be found however, I can feel it in the song of the planet"

Obi-Wan gave her a frown as if not fully understanding, and why would he? So few peoples outside the Fey listened to what the earth told them. They molded it and mined it without thought to the song that they might be silencing. It was why she was always so unnerved while, on Coruscant, the planet had it's song silenced long ago - it now sung to the song of the trillions of people that lived upon it.

"The Song?"

"Yes, the song. Every world has one if you but listen to it."

Sam motioned him over and took his hand into her own as he finally reached her side. His skin was warm from the heat of the day and rough from the lack of moisture in the air. She tried not to think about what the contact did to her, the tingling of skin under his own. Instead, she focused on pressing his palm to the landing gear she had been leaning on before, spreading the fingers to cover the greatest surface area.

"Close your eyes, feel the vibrations of the aircraft. The growth of the metal as it stretches in the sun. The soft breeze as it drifts past you. Take in the hot scent of the sands, and the sound it makes as the breeze pushes it off the edge of the dunes. That is the voice of the planet, the endless drone of the wind and the heat of the sun ... it is the sound of a planet being punished by two suns. It suffers, and yet for that suffering it flourishes in its own way. Hear it's song, take it in, and you will understand much that humanity has forgotten over the last few millennia"

The muscles in his hand relaxed under her own as she felt him open himself up to the planet. She wasn't entirely sure what song he would hear, or if he would even hear it at all. Fey found it easy to tune into the natures around them. He was human, so with him it was a lot more difficult - humans had been removed from nature for so long after all. However he was also Jedi, she had to, at least, give the benefit of the doubt that he was open enough to the force to sense what she felt. Sam watched his face, the twitching of muscles as he focused himself within the force, and she could feel it harken to his call.

"I feel something, a drifting sense of calmness and warmth ... it is faint, however"

Sam felt a slight sense of achievement in that admittance. She also felt bad that she'd doubted him, for even daring to think he might not feel something. While his sense of the world was weak it was, at least, a start. In time, he would get a stronger sense of that song, all he had to do was practice. Closing her eyes she pressed her fingers over the back of his hand further, letting herself drift into the force.

"Let me show you the beauty of the song"

Over the last week she'd felt him in the force a few times, but now she was truly open to him. In the same manner, she was now open to him, letting him feel her in the force as she guided him in his meditations. You could try to hide in that state, keep the learners focused when they should have been, but sometimes they couldn't help themselves - sometimes they wandered away from the path you laid before them. It was the distraction of another mind that did it, the feelings of thoughts and memories that were not their own. She could feel him drift from the task at hand, and while she tried to prod him back toward the task at hand there was little that now could be done.

He'd already felt things she'd tried to hide from him for days now. She could feel the shift in him. The surprise and uncertainty. Open as she was she could also sense something under all that, a feeling of warmth and delight - of love.

Letting out a startled sound she pulled her thoughts away from his, pulling back from the force and lifting her hand from his own. Just what did you do in a situation like this? Yes she'd wanted to answer her questions on how he regarded her, but that didn't mean she wanted him to find out her own internal warring emotion - it was hardly the way she'd envisioned such a revelation. Obi-Wan to his credit, at least, seemed more at ease, his eyes looking over her body as if he finally understood something, and that some of his own questions had been answered.

"I ... felt you ... your thoughts and emotions ..."

This was more awkward than she would have liked, and she was glad to find that she and Obi-Wan were at least outside of the audible range of anyone else still outside the ship. It wouldn't do to have anyone else listening in on this - it was way too intimate a subject. She wasn't quite sure what to say, the lingering sensation that she should have hidden better in the force remained. Oh for the ability to turn back time, back to a time when the truth remained shrouded deep within her.

"As I felt yours ..."

Where did one go from here? In normal life, the revelation of love to another person was taken with such ease. And while she knew that she had a dispensation for such things, there was still so many perils to take into account on his end of things. He'd been taught not to love, yet here he was fighting with those lessons because of her. Both of them would have to walk with care, but that was only if Obi-Wan acted on the information he now had - because she wasn't about to force any relationship on him.

"There is much that must be talked of, but only if you wish to discuss it. I will not force anything upon you. I will give you time to think on this, I know for you such revelations are not an easy thing given your training. If you wish to follow that training then I will respect that"

He was Jedi, he likely had not even thought of having romance in his life, he'd been taught to not even contemplate it. Now she'd put him in an awkward spot and exposed him to such things. She pressed a hand to his shoulder, then walked past him so she could walk back onto the ship - leaving Obi-Wan to his thoughts. It was dark and cool inside the ship, cool enough that she pulled her cloak around her body which was still used to the baking heat of the surface.

Walking the length of the ship, she decided to return to her own chambers for the time being. She needed time to get her own emotions back into order, and to meditate on the awkward days that were yet to come - for she was quite sure they would be awkward indeed now that they both knew what the other felt. Sam felt like an awkward teenager struggling with their first crush, a crush that now knew that she loved him! She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. The day had been going so well, and she had to just go and ruin it! Now she would have to deal with whatever choice the padawan made in regards to her revealed emotions for him.

Whatever the choice she knew that things would never be the same again.


	9. Midi-Chlorians

**Thank you, for your lovely reviews Scottusa1 &amp; Teddy Bear 007****. **

**In fact, let me give out a big thank you to all my reviewers. I always enjoy hearing your thoughts on this story and am glad you are all enjoying it!**

**~Mandochk.**

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**Chapter 9: Midi-Chlorians **

Night settled in with a quiet hush, gentle whispers drifting from separate areas of the craft. Many of the crew had settled in for an early evening, seeking out a better night's sleep than the one previous. Others had settled down in the mess, talking about loved ones left behind on Naboo while nursing steaming mugs of caf. Sam herself hadn't been able to deny herself the same pleasures; her fingers held tightly to the warm cup as she stepped through the hallways of the craft. She hadn't felt like sitting in the mess room with the crew. While the chatter hadn't been offensive to her she still wished to keep to herself for the time being. It had only been a few hours since her interaction with Obi-Wan, and she still had much to think on when it came to that matter.

Her slow path took her toward the cockpit. The area was free of the usual group of pilots that tended to hang around in the area, and given that everyone was starting to wind down for the evening she could almost guarantee she would be left alone for some time. She cast her eyes over the many switches and buttons in the room, many were unfamiliar to her eyes. While she had been trained to pilot a few spacecraft, this particular craft was a new model for her. Sam would never be able to pilot it herself, and she took a moment to appreciate the skill of the men that had got them through the blockade and ultimately to Tatooine. Nursing the warm drink between her palms the Fey allowed herself to settle down into one of the copilot's seats, her legs lifting to rest on the console in front of her.

Sipping the Caf she watched the passage of the stars and moon as they drifted in front of the view port, a celestial dance she had seen many times in her life, and on many planets. The stars always looked so foreign, at least in comparison to the night sky on Coruscant - the only night sky she was intricately familiar. Sam found herself wondering what the stars of her homeworld where like. Sam had been young when she had been taken from her family and memories of her youth where now buried under decades of Jedi training. It had been a long time since she had thought of her family, and she wondered what they would be doing now - would they be looking to the stars too and wondering what happened to the young Fey that had been taken to train as a Jedi? It was a hard question to answer, and she knew that she could well respond by visiting her family. If Yoda would allow such a thing, that was.

He'd given her dispensation to have a family, but forbidden her from having ties to the family she already had. Such hypocritical rules. Ki-Adi-Mundi still had close ties to his home, so how come it was one rule for him and another for everyone else? She'd often been tempted to ignore the grand master and go off on her own, but she never had. She disagreed with Yoda on many subjects, but while he was in charge, she respected the rules that he had laid down and the direction that he was taking the order.

The sound of footfalls drew her attention to the doorway of the room, her gaze watching as Obi-Wan stepped into the room with a comlink pressed to his lips. It only took a few moments for her to figure out that Qui-Gon was on the end of the line, she could hear his voice buzzing from the speaker of the comms unit that the padawan held.

"Make an analysis of this blood sample I'm sending you."

"Wait a minute."

Analysis? What was the older Jedi talking about? What did running a blood test have to do with the mission? Sam thought he would be giving some kind of information on what kind of progress had been made in preparation for this pod race, but it seemed not. Obi-Wan took a seat at one of the analysis machines, placing the comlink on the console, so he now had both hands free.

"I need a midi-chlorian count.

A midi-chlorian count? For whom? It must be for the boy that Qui-Gon had placed all his hopes on. The Master had sensed there was something about the boy, and now he was testing the boy for potential sensitivity to the force. Sam turned her seat slightly to watch the Padawan, his body slightly hunched over the console - totally focused on the task at hand. She wondered if he even picked up on the fact that she was in the room. She watched as he checked his comlink, watching the readouts as the transmission came in with an intense gaze.

"All right. I've got it."

"What are your readings?"

Sam watched as Obi-Wan ran the check, her curiosity getting the better of her as she walked over toward the padawan. It was then he seemed to notice her, a slight turn of his head in her direction to give a brief welcoming nod to her finally. The hand free of her Caf rested on his left shoulder, giving her support as she leaned over to look at the readouts. Silver brows were raising in surprise as she looked at the sprawling figures. The reading was unlike anything she had seen before - it had to be some error! Even Obi-Wan seemed to be thinking that way, his brows raising as he responded to his master.

"Something must be wrong with the transmission."

"Here's a signal check."

The signal check did nothing to change the readout; it remained the same as it had before. Sam let out a low whistle as she looked over the figures. Over twenty thousand! She didn't know a single Jedi that had a count that high! Even Master Yoda, the strongest of them all didn't boast a count that high! Even she didn't have a count that high! She leaned in closer, and could feel the Padawan tense under her palm; he too seemed to have been caught off guard by the information that presented itself on the console screen.

"Strange. The transmission appears to be in good order, but the reading is off the chart...over twenty thousand. Even Master Yoda doesn't have a midi-chlorian count that high!"

There was a slight pause on the comlink as if Qui-Gon was thinking. Sam could just envision the Jedi Knight running a hand through his beard in a thoughtful manner, with his console held against his lips. He wasn't quiet for long as he was soon speaking once again.

"No Jedi has."

"What does it mean?"

Obi-Wan's question hung in the air, and Sam found herself wondering the same thing. What did the reading mean? Finding someone with that kind of raw potential? She did know one thing; they would never know what it would mean - by all accounts the kid was way too old to be taken into the Jedi Order. He had attachments on his planet, and a tormented upbringing that was sure to torment him for years to come. The child was no babe that would have no memories of its past. This was an adolescent.

"I'm not sure."

Sam could almost feel the man's thoughts over the comlink. The temptation to bring the boy in for training. It was a worrying thought. Sam didn't often agree with much the council said these days, but the thought of bringing this boy in as an initiate worried her - something in the force told her that this was a bad idea. There was nothing more to say, the soft chirp of the Comlink telling her that Qui-Gon had signed off. Silence once again reigned in the cockpit, leaving in its wake a sense of awkwardness as she finally realised just how close she was to the male in her current position. Leaned over him as she was, she was almost cheek-to-cheek with him.

Coughing Sam pulled back before he noticed just how close she was. He was still watching the screen as if it would give him the answers he was looking for, and then moments later Obi-Wan turned to her with a pair of furrowed brows that told her that he was every bit unsettled by this information as she was!

"What do you think on this Sam? What does it mean?"

Sam took a sip of her caff, the liquid now only lukewarm since she had left it undrunk for so long. The coolness of it meant that it didn't taste so good, but the caffeine helped her tired mind remain awake awhile longer. She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, her free hand brushing down the length of her robes to distract herself from her previous position with the Padawan.

"It means the boy is force sensitive, that he has great potential in the force. Beyond that, we can't say. We can't theorise on someone that the order has never discovered, and thus will never be trained to meet that potential."

Obi-Wan sat back in his chair, pulling the chip out of the reader so that the midi-chlorian count vanished from the screen. He seemed worried, she could see it on his face and feel it in his presence in the force. The Padawan knew his master a lot better than she did, and she could tell that he was concerned about what Qui-Gon was about to do.

"Master Qui-Gon has a habit of picking up those that need help ... I worry about what he will do with this information."

"Perhaps he will do something, and perhaps he won't. All we can do is prepare as best we can to leave this planet. Come, you look like you've had as little sleep as me. Qui-Gon won't be calling back again till after the race I am sure, and we all need our rest for the day ahead."

Obi-Wan gave a nod of his head, looking suddenly very weary as he slipped his comlink back into the folds of his robes. He gave one last look at the console before turning to regard his female companion; the poor thing did look tired - she felt guilty as she was sure he wouldn't sleep well tonight, neither of them would. Each of them had a lot on their minds, from revealed feelings for one another to the midi-chlorian test that had just thrown up more questions than it did answers. She offered him some of her drink, but he declined with a shake of his head as he moved to exit the room - with Sam not far behind. The ship was now much quieter than it had been before, most of the crew had retired for the night, and only a couple of people now lingered in the hallway outside Amidala's bedchambers - acting as guards for the sleeping queen.

Sam and Obi-Wan passed the group, the perfect image of contemplative Jedi with their heads held low and robes shifting around them with each step. Nothing was said between the two groups. However, the guards did dip their heads in greeting - a greeting that each Jedi responded to in silence. Words were not needed, they all had work to do, and there was no point distracting each other from those tasks when there was no new information to share. The Jedi left the guards, turning down a corridor and finally reaching the area where the regular sleeping rooms where located. Sam stopped at her room, pressing her hand to the door so that it opened before her and revealed the small room she had long become acclimatised to. She was about to step into the room when she heard Obi-Wan give a slight cough behind her, reminding her that she still had company.

"I was hoping that we might talk a moment. Can I come in?"

Tired as she was, she wanted to say no. But she sensed that Obi-Wan wanted to discuss the events of the last few hours, she owed it to him to talk with him despite her tiredness - to give guidance where she could.

"Of course."

She motioned for him to come in, allowing the door to close after him before she walked further into the room - a room that seemed suddenly smaller with him in it. He felt way too close no matter where in the room she sat, and she was suddenly aware of how warm she was. The female eventually settled for sitting down on the edge of her bed, her eyes watching the movements of the Padawan as he took the only seat in the room. Setting down her now cold Caff on the side table near her bed, she took a brief moment to gather her thoughts before returning her attention to the young man opposite her. Obi-Wan wasn't looking at her. Instead, his eyes were looking around the room - not that there was much to see. The room was pretty sparse, and there was little in it to show that she had claimed ownership of it. He ran a hand through his short hair before letting his gaze return to her, a certain shyness visible within those eyes that told her this would be no ordinary conversation.

"Sam ... If we did act, if we did follow on our emotions ... It would lead us toward the dark side, yes?"

It was a subject she had to be careful with. She rested her hands in front of her, linking the fingers together as she looked at the young man. Perhaps it was time to give him a history lesson on the past of the Jedi and of the different sects within it.

"Not necessarily. Love does not lead toward the darkness, it is the fear of losing the object of one's affection and love. If you can let go without fear, and pain - accept it wholly in the force. Then there will be no darkness in your heart. Did you know that Jedi once married freely? The holo chrons talk of times, thousands of years ago when the order was made of small sects. During those times, Jedi loved freely and were not stopped from doing so. It is my theory that preventing such ties caused an inability to cope with emotions, and thus Jedi now struggle with them when they need not. Our padawans are taught to be wholly faithful to the order, but not trained to deal wisely with such attachments as they once were, and thus when they do feel those things they fall to darkness. If I teach you to deal with attachment, to let go, then I am sure you will remain on the path of light."

He leaned back as he took in that information, eyes half closed as he contemplated each word with a nod of his head. Sam knew that Yoda would never agree with her, that if he just taught the Padawans better then there wouldn't be so many problems. But he'd never listen to that, he wanted his Jedi focused on the force and not on family ties. Sometimes she really did fear the direction Yoda was taking the Jedi in. At some point, it would fall all around him, and there was nothing any of them could do about it! All because he couldn't see what his stupid laws was doing to the people serving under him. Obi-Wan opened his eyes once again, giving her a brief look over before speaking once again.

"What of my humanity?. If what you've said is right about the lifespan of your people, I would pass into the force long before you. You said your people 'bond' that losing the partner causes pain - I wouldn't wish to cause such pain for you."

It was kind of sweet that he was putting her own feelings before his. He worried about the path that might be taken if they lost one another, and now he worried about her if he passed before her. She wasn't so worried; there would be grief and pain, it was how you dealt with those things that defined you as a person. She had seen death in her time, knew well its face, and could cope with it again when the time came for her current companions to pass into the force.

"Losing a bond mate can hurt, but it all depends on how deep that relationship is. The strength differs between each partnership, some Fey bond on the lightest levels and others are so deep that they share souls. As you are humanoid I have no idea how a prospective bond might work, we might only share the lightest levels of the bond. Thus, the breaking of that bond, while painful, would be to the same degree as normal grief that a sentient being feels on the death of a life partner."

She trailed a hand through her hair as she spoke. Sam was being completely honest with him, that there would be some pain when he left his mortal form, but she had no idea to what degree she'd feel that pain - of course, this was all theory as they hadn't even entered a relationship.

"It's hard to say what the results of a bond between us will be, but I know that I have been well trained by my master, and am prepared to let go of the things I love. We all have our time to return to the force, and while I might be in grief for a time, I know that I will join those I love in the force when I too pass on. Why should I give into the darkness with that knowledge in mind?"

Reaching over, she rested a hand on his knee, gently squeezing in what she hoped was a comforting manner. He didn't seem comforted; he still seemed conflicted, and the new information was only making things worse for him.

"Obi-Wan. Like I said, it is a tough choice. I will help you where I can, train you to let go when such a time should come. That much I promise you. But this is your choice to make, and only you can make it. Meditate on this, the force will help guide you through this choice - it speaks of many truths and knows the path that should be followed."

He gave a nod of his head, reaching over with his own hand to gently remove hers so that he could get up from his seat. The padawan had a lot on his mind, and it was getting late. While he wanted to know more about the possible pitfalls of a relationship with her, he knew that he needed some sleep. Besides, he already had a lot of information to digest, any more and he was sure that it would give him a massive headache.

"You've given me much to think of. I know there is still much more to learn, but the night grows late, and we both need rest."

As Obi-Wan rose from his seat, he lowered his head in a polite bow. With his respects given, he made his exit from the room, giving a soft 'goodnight' before leaving the Fey alone in her room. Like the previous night she didn't get much in the way of sleep, but this time, it was because of the fact that she couldn't get her brain to shut down - she had way too many thoughts and 'what ifs' running through her head.

In the end, she settled down to meditate, letting the force guide her to internal calmness so that she might finally get some rest.


	10. Qui-Gon Returns

_**WHOOHOO this story broke the 10k views mark. I really can't believe how popular it has been.**_

_**Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews and support. You guys really kept me going this week!**_

_**I've been horribly sick with a cold and cough all week, and this chapter took much longer to write than I would have liked as a result. **_

_**Hopefully, you all enjoy this chapter.**_

_**~Mandochk **_

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**Chapter 10: Qui-Gon Returns **

It was the day of the pod race, and tension was running high among the crew. Sam could feel it in the air; it was thick enough to cut a knife, and she knew it would remain that way for much of the morning. The tension couldn't be helped; it was finally the day where they found out if they would win the money needed for the parts, or if it would be the day they had to find another way to get off the planet. Things could easily go either way, and she wondered how many fights she'd have to break up among the crew if tension remained this way? Humanoids could only take so much stress before they cracked under pressure, and despite letting people off the craft the previous day she could still feel the bubbling undertones of pent up frustration within the craft.

Sam spent most of her morning in quiet meditation; the last few days had thrown up many questions and the only place she felt like she would get answers was the force. Time had no meaning while drifting in the force. Hours could pass without you even knowing, or just a few short moments that could feel like a lifetime. She couldn't really say in that moment of meditation how much time had passed, and it didn't matter so much - they were going nowhere so why not let the force carry her as it wished? The shifting nature of the force was no different today than it was in days previous, it swirled around her in shades of dark uncertainty. The future was not an easy thing to predict, and so she merely focused upon the present. There was a sense of warning in the force.

Something was here, something that was hunting for them, and she didn't know quite who or what was doing that hunting.

She pressed the force, trying to find out more information, but the force wasn't revealing it's secrets. The threat was just too far away for her to decipher what it was, all she knew was that she now had to keep herself aware of its presence. The warning clear in her mind she pulled herself out of her meditative state of mind, her eyes blinking open to take in the pale walls of her room. The Chrono on the wall told her that it was near mid-day, she had been in mediation for hours, and it was with a groan that she untangled her legs from their crossed position.

Meditation, while regenerative for the mind and soul, was never as kind to the body. Life slowly returned to her stiff joints as she made her way out of her room and into the hallway beyond, and she felt some amusement from some of the looks she got by limping down the hall - those that saw her likely finally understood that she really was as old as she claimed! Her stiffness had nothing to do with age, anyone at any age was sure to be stiff after being in one position for as long as she had just been.

It didn't take long to reach the mess hall, the room full of noise and bodies. Most people were waiting in the line for food, holding onto trays and chatting avidly to the people next to them in line. She took a spot at the end of the line, scanning the room and picking out familiar faces among the crew. The queen and her handmaidens were absent from the scene, which made sense as they tended to eat their meals in the comfort of their own chambers.

Obi-Wan was not in the room either, but she didn't expect him to be - there was no set time to eat given that everyone had their own schedules. As Jedi, she and Obi-Wan had, even more, freedom in their comings and goings, and as a result could eat when hunger dictated. The line moved slowly along, each person taking their time to pick the components of their meal, and by the time she finally got her chance most of the containers were empty.

There wasn't much in the way of proteins ready for eating, most of that had already been claimed, and, the cooks did not have any available replacements. That was fine with her; she instead picked out some diced potatoes, mixed vegetables, and some fish. It would be warm and filling, and fish was still protein even if she didn't like it too much. The taste of fish was just fine; it was just the texture of it that didn't sit well with her, and it took her awhile to eat the item in question.

Sam didn't even know what it was about the texture that she didn't like; she got the feeling that it was associated with some memory from her childhood that she simply didn't remember. Whatever the case she ate the protein regardless of how she felt about it as she knew she needed the energy and essential oils. The food was food - sometimes you just couldn't be picky about it, and she shoveled the food down her as fast as she could so that she had less time to think about it.

By the time she had finished she felt warm and full, and was content just to sit at the table to watch the comings and goings of the rest of the crew. Most were happy to converse with one another while eating. Others were playing card games while drinking whatever beverage was on offer at that time. It was nice to see the men and women of the crew burning off steam in a manner that did not involve fighting, the tension was still there, as was her worry that a fight might break out - but for now things were calm. A soft chirp from her comlink broke her attention away from the social scene in front of her, a look of confusion on her face for she hadn't expected for a call to come through on the line. Sam lifted the cold metal to her lips and opened up the line, speaking in a low tone so not as to draw attention to herself.

"Tilset"

"Master Qui-Gon is returning, He says the boy won the race, and we have the parts we need. It will be all hands on deck to get the hyperdrive fitted when he gets here."

She looked up at the Chrono in surprise. Had the morning actually passed that quickly? It was a shock, and she found herself pushing her chair back before she even realised that she was moving.

"I will be there shortly to meet with Master Qui-Gon."

The comlink chirped as she signed off, her deft fingers hooking the item back into its place on her belt. It was at that point that she finally picked up on the fact that she had already walked out into the hallway. The brain had the unusual ability to 'blank' things out when it was busy processing other information. Sam didn't understand all the science behind what was happening inside her brain; she just knew that she had read somewhere that the brain occasionally did not take note of things in its surroundings to save energy or some such. She was sure that some scientist could likely explain it better than her. Pushing the idea of science and neurology out of her head the woman pushed on through the hallways of the starship.

Her pace was quick and purposeful; she had no time to enjoy a nice wander through the hallways. Hands held in front of her she maintained her pace, and could feel hot air brushing over her face as she approached the open gangplank. Sand blustered against her exposed face as she came out of the protective side of the ship, and she struggled to pull her hood up over her face to protect herself from the elements. As she expected Obi-Wan was waiting outside for her, his back was turned to the aircraft, but she could tell from his posture that he was tense. He turned to take note of her arrival a short while later, his young face showing all the signs that he hadn't slept well at all the night before.

"You look terrible. I'm sorry, I gave you too much to think about last night."

Obi-Wan shook his head and motioned with a casual hand in front of her to brush away her concern.

"Don't apologize. I wouldn't have slept much even if you had said nothing. There was much to meditate on last night. Us, The race, and this boy that Qui-Gon has found - where does he fit in all of this."

Sam took a spot beside him, watching several dark shapes moving through the sound. Her keen eyes quickly making out that it was Qui-Gon with the Hyperdrive. She let out a thoughtful sound as her arms wrapped around her.

"Hard to say, the boy will remain on Tatooine, and we will soon be on our way to Coruscant."

Regardless of her words she had a bad feeling about them. That despite all her beliefs that the boy would remain on Tatooine, she would be proven wrong. Qui-Gon had a habit of picking up stragglers of all kinds, and Jar-Jar was proof of that innate desire. This young boy seemed like the type of straggler that was right up the man's alley. Obi-Wan looked like he had picked up on her misgivings, but thankfully he didn't point out such a thing to her - they just stood there in silence watching as the shapes of Qui-Gon and the rest of his party moving through the desert on the backs of some kind of beast of burden. The pace of the caravan was slow but sure, and Sam judged that it would take Qui-Gon a further five minutes or so to reach their current position.

"It's a relief to be on our way; the Queen will be pleased as well no doubt."

Sam nodded at Obi-Wan's observation. The Queen had been growing impatient and longed for news of her people, getting to Coruscant quickly was now of the utmost importance. Sam herself was not so keen to get back, she knew that Yoda would be eager to get a response to the request that he had asked of her. The very thought of the green alien made her made a sound of discontent, a sound that drew a questioning look from Obi-Wan.

"I have some matters of affair to clear with master Yoda; it is something I am not looking forward to."

He made a sound of understanding, His form shifting closer to her own by a couple of paces.

"Would those matters regard the issues we have discussed of late? If it does, would having an answer help your dealings with the Grand Master?"

Sam brushed down her robes, feeling suddenly quite old. She had to be honest with the padawan, as much as she would like to hide from him that the matters involved him. He had a right to know, especially now that she had asked him to meditate on the subject.

"Yes, they involve the matters we have talked of over the last few days. However, that is no reason for you to rush into anything - especially how you feel on the subject. I will weather the inquiries of the master as I always have done and always will."

Obi-Wan gave a nod, the tension seeming to ebb in his frame. He was about to say more when she gave him a slight nudge in the side. Qui-Gon was almost upon them now, and it wouldn't do to have him hearing their current conversation. The older Jedi looked stern-faced as he approached, the creatures behind him taking the weight of the hyperdrive. Both herself and Obi-Wan lowered their heads in a slight bow of greeting once Qui-Gon got to the side of the ship with his prize. Padme and Jar Jar dismounted from their mounts; each seeming pleased to be back on the vessel. Was it her or did Padme seem especially pleased? There was something about that woman, but Sam couldn't tell quite what it was. Qui-Gon himself remained mounted. He adjusted the length of the reigns of his mount, as he addressed the two other Jedi.

"Start getting this hyperdrive generator installed. I'm going back...some unfinished business. I won't be long."

A bad feeling settled over her. He had done something, and they were now going to be bringing the boy with them. Obi-Wan himself couldn't contain his frustration, looking up at his master with pursed lips.

"Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic lifeform...?"

"It's the boy who's responsible for getting those parts."

Damnit, now they had one more person to be responsible for. She moved to help the crew remove the generator from the beast that carried it, leaving the Padawan to deal with his master. The process of getting the generator from the beasts to the craft itself wasn't all that bad, the crew had brought a hovering crane with them to help move the heavy item, and she found herself following the crew as they pushed the generator into the craft via the cargo hold as that had the only entryway big enough to bring in the parts. The parts looked like they would do the job rather well though she wondered if the price they had paid for them actually matched up to the market value of the item. Most likely not, backwater types tended to inflate their prices, and she had no doubt they had ended up paying out of pocket. But, no matter, they had it now and could soon leave.

She settled herself in to help install the part and was so engrossed in her work that she barely took note when Obi-Wan came to help her. she could feel that he was there in the force, a sensation of him deep in concentration as he worked on the wiring. The space that the drive would eventually fit in was pretty slim, but with the force they were able to work with each other in an intricate dance. Sometimes the padawan would pass her the tools that she needed, and sometimes she would help hold something while he screwed the wire connections into place. The Fey didn't really think about their proximity; it just felt natural to work like this - to dance within the flow of the force without words. The crew probably found it unnerving to watch such a thing, and they slowly moved away to other tasks - that or they realised that the Jedi had the task well in order.

A feeling to pass a particular tool slipped into her mind, and she gave it to Obi-Wan without thinking. Their hands touching, and she while she knew that she should break the contact she could not. She kept her hand on his, and soon found herself looking into a pair of dark grey eyes. In the dark area, they had a stormy depth to them, like a dark sea before a summer's storm, and she couldn't help but to be drawn in. The feeling of him was much like those times before, he caused her body to tingle delightfully, and the sensation only heightened when he drifted closer to place a pair of warm lips upon her own.

The world slipped away - leaving behind only the feeling of warmth. She'd never been kissed. Sam had heard what they felt like from people that had kissed, but she had never thought that they would make her feel like this! It was electric! The fey found herself slipping an arm around him and pulling the male closer to her, her soul singing at the sensation of holding the man it yearned for. It was something she had to reign in, and it was with ever regret that she slowly parted her lips from his, panting as she fought with her own inner desires.

"I ... I'm sorry ... I shouldn't have."

Her rush to part must have upset the padawan. She reached over, pressing her hand against his chest. Sam could feel the fast tempo of his heart, one that matched the speed of her own racing pulse.

"No ... Don't say sorry. I would have liked to continue, don't get me wrong. It just stirs too much within me - I don't want to lose control when we are not ready."

Obi-Wan looked at her a moment, and then he nodded in understanding as he pressed his forehead to her own. Words were not needed; Sam could still feel him in the force. While neither of them had made any solid choice on where they would go relationship wise, it was now clear that the feelings they had were very much real and very much mutual.

They returned to their task, only this time they did not allow themselves to work so closely to one another in the force. Did not give themselves the same closeness so as to close the risk of being drawn to one another. There was no point risking a repeat of what had just happened, and time was of the essence. Qui-Gon would be back soon, and he would expect that the hyperdrive would be installed and ready to go by then.

Even so Sam still felt like she was on cloud nine, and she certainly took little note of the growing warning in the force that this mission was going to become a lot darker sooner than she would like.


	11. Anakin Skywalker

_** Thank you all again for your wonderful reviews, I always read them with delight when they pop up in my inbox.**_

_**I am glad that you are enjoying this story so much, and I hope you like this chapter.**_

_**~Mandochk**_

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**Chapter 11: Anakin Skywalker**

The song of the force drifted higher as time passed, the delightful tingling pleasures of the kiss she had shared with Obi Wan long forgotten as the darkness heightened. Something was coming. She could feel it drifting ever closer as the tension in the craft heightened. A deep breath was taken in as she waited in the main hallway of the aircraft, watching the open doorway and the blistering sands beyond. The feeling of the world around her buzzed with energy, from the sensation of milling people in the aircraft to the spot of brightness in the force that belonged to Obi Wan. The padawan was in the cockpit; she could feel that as an absolute certainty, and she was both excited and anxious at the knowledge that she so easily felt where he was in the force - it was almost coming as second nature now.

Sam knew she could have gone to him if she so wished it, but the force told her to stay where she was - so she did. Arms crossed, and feet at shoulder's width apart she felt like some kind of guardian. Which in a way, she was. She was a Jedi, the guardian of peace and justice for those that could not defend themselves.

Time passed slowly while she waited. Sam had no idea if she had waited ten minutes or ten hours. All she knew was that the sensation of Qui Gon grew stronger and with him two strange force signatures. The first radiated the distinct feeling of a child, and the second radiated dark intent. She suddenly realised what it was that the force was warning her against, and she moved toward the edge of the doorway just in time to come face to face with the child that she had felt in the force. Sam didn't even take a moment to take in his features; she was too focused on pulling him gently into the hallway before stepping out onto the gangplank to see where Qui-Gon was. It didn't spot long to spot the plume of sand being kicked up by the Jedi Master as he fought with a dark cloaked figure. Red and Green sabers were dancing around their bodies.

The Fey reacted on instinct, reaching out into the force and finding the one person she was looking for.

'Enemy, left flank ... Take off ... fly low.'

She could feel the surprise in the Padawan's mind. He had likely never heard another person's voice in his mind before, having only shared a force bond with his master. The surprise was short lived, the fleeting feeling of his thoughts fading as she heard the engines of the ship powering up. Sam turned toward the young boy that sat on the ground of the hallway behind her, making a motion with one hand while holding to the gangplank support with the other.

"Hold on kid, it's going to get bumpy."

Sam didn't even watch him long enough to see if he had indeed found a hand hold; she had turned her attention back to Qui-Gon. He was holding his own against his foe for now, but the master was on the defense rather than the offense - they had to get to him soon before the foe with the red lightsaber broke through his defense. She could feel the craft as it lifted from the sands, banking steeply so that it could turn on a short axis to reach Qui-Gon's current position.

"Qui-Gon!"

She called out to him, but the Jedi Master didn't need her cry to know where the spaceship was to himself. The moment that he spotted that the ship was overhead he leapt up, his hand reaching out for Sam's and allowing the Fey to pull him into the vessel. Sam caught a glimpse of the gangplank pulling back, and the doorway closing before the ship angled upward, causing her to fall backward into the ungiving weight of another person's body. It was a moment before she figured out that she had fallen back into Obi-Wan. The padawan must have arrived in the hallway shortly after she had pulled Qui-Gon on board the ship. She could feel his hands on her shoulders as he gently guided her to a seated position, and she felt their absence the moment that he removed his grip from her.

Now upright she could see Qui-Gon slumped wearily against the other side of the ship, with the young boy kneeled beside him. Now they were free of the planet's surface she could get a better look at the boy. He appeared to be no more the ten years of age, with a tousled mass of sandy blonde hair and a set of tan and rather ragged clothing. It was hard to believe that this malnourished child was the same boy that had such high levels of Midichlorians. The boy shifted closer to Qui-Gon with a concerned look on his face.

"Are you alright?"

Qui-Gon took a deep breath in and only answered once he had managed to slow his breathing and heart rate down.

"I think so... that was a surprise I won't soon forget."

"What was it?"

Obi-Wan's question hung in the air, leaving behind a sense of unease that lingered deep in the thoughts of all in the hallway. Even Sam herself did not know how to answer that question - two centuries of life and she'd never felt something that emanated that kind of darkness in the Force. Qui-Gon broke the quiet, resting his hand on the shoulder of the young boy.

"I don't know... but he was well trained in the Jedi arts. My guess is he was after the Queen..."

The boy frowned. I could feel the fear and uncertainty that was within him. Those feelings I could understand in some manner given that he'd been pulled away from a planet that had been the only home he'd ever known. It didn't bode well for Qui-Gon, especially if he followed through with trying to get the boy initiated as a Jedi. The boy's voice filled the room again, his brows furrowed in concern.

"Do you think he'll follow us?"

"We'll be safe enough once we're in hyperspace, but I have no

doubt he knows our destination."

"What are we going to do about it?"

The boy asked a lot of questions, and again she felt sorry for him. The galaxy he now found himself was far bigger than he could ever have imagined, and he'd found himself in a power play between two peoples that he'd never heard of - not to mention now being involved in the tangled politics of the Jedi. Qui-Gon adjusted his hair, pressing down the unruly locks so that they were pressed firmly back against his scalp.

"We will be patient. Anakin Skywalker, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi and Samantha Tilsit.

"Pleased to meet you. Wow! Are you a Jedi too?

Anakin looked at us both with a pair of eyes that showed how excited and impressed he was at meeting two more Jedi. Sam felt that his eyes stayed on her the longest, and she felt uncomfortable under the intense stare. He might be only a boy, but he was coming to an age where puberty would soon hit and attractions formed - his stare told her that he had an appreciation for her good looks. Sam didn't particularly like the look he was giving her, and she shifted closer to Obi-Wan with a small cough.

"Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you young Anakin."

She gave a low bow as she greeted the boy, before turning to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.

"We should see how well this hyperdrive we have won works."

With that, she turned to make her way down toward the cockpit. She could feel the three males following behind her, each one as eager as her to find out if all this effort had been worthwhile. It was a walk that was a short one, and Sam found herself musing on the fact that this was one of few times she had been in the small room with so many people inside it. The confining space coupled with a number of bodies sparked a spike of anxiety within her, and she had to push down that flush of adrenaline forcefully as she was not going to let her phobia win over her curiosity to find out if they had indeed gotten a fully working replacement. Sam took in a deep breath, and felt a sense of calm that was not her own envelop her senses - it was a calm that she distinctly recognised as belonging to Obi-Wan.

The Fey hadn't even realised that he was by her side and that he'd placed a hand firmly to the small of her back. He had picked up on the female's growing distress and had come to help calm her - something she appreciated. It was a reassuring touch, one that chased away the fear and left in its place strength and peace. She closed her eyes a moment, leaning back into the warmth of his palm as she felt her muscles relax from their excited state, and only once calm had fully restored did she open her eyes to the crowded room around her - her piercing blue eyes watching as the pilot pulled back on the hyperdrive. Keen ears picked up on the sound of the hyperdrive kicking into life as the stars streaked outside the cockpit in a dizzying swirl of blues.

The hyperdrive was working - they were on their way.

The crowd in the cockpit slowly dispersed. Qui-Gon was the first to leave with Anakin, no doubt looking for somewhere for the boy to rest after his busy day. Sam moved to exit the cockpit shortly after and soon found that Obi-Wan was walking beside her. For a moment, they both walked in silence, the sound of the engines being the only sound to fill the quiet between them. Sam could feel however that the Padawan wanted to say something, but he wasn't going to say what he wished to say in a place he may be overheard. So she continued down the hallway, and eventually guided him into the quiet of her room - something that had become something of a habit now.

The doorway closed behind them, and she allowed her body to fall against the wall wearily. Even poor Obi-Wan looked tired. They had both been drained by the last few days - the emotional strain on both of them now starting to show in even her features. She let out a slow exhale of breath and looked at the padawan from the corner of her eyes, giving him the nod to say that she was ready to answer his questions.

"I ... was surprised to hear you in my thoughts earlier. Force bonds are something that is built over time my master says, but we've only been on this mission a few days ... I do not understand."

Sam pressed her fingers to her brow, massaging her fingers against the tense muscles between her eyes. At first, she had thought, like him that this was a force bond - but now she could see that wasn't entirely the case.

"I ... well ... it's not entirely a force bond per say. Some elements boil down to such a thing, especially given how closely we have worked together in the force over the last few days. The other part of it comes from us sharing that kiss. I think, despite my efforts, the part of me that recognises its partner has melded with you in a small manner."

It was hard to admit that she hadn't realised just what had happened. That it had taken her till now to figure out that there would now always be a small part of them that would be bonded. Sam wasn't angry at herself. However, most Jedi have bonded to some degree whether it was from a master-apprentice bond or forged in the midst of missions. He would be only the second person she would have such a bond with if he decided that he didn't want to take things further. She tilted her head back a little, still massaging her brows.

"I have to thank you for what happened back in the cockpit; your presence helped calm me."

"You have no need to thank me. I could feel your panic, and I wanted to help.

She smiled, letting her fingers drop from her brow so that she could look at the young male. He seemed much more at ease with himself tonight as opposed to the previous nights that she had seen him. Obi-Wan still looked terribly tired, but at least, it was nice to see that he was no longer as conflicted. Sam gave him the nod, taking in his comments and wanting to show him that she was appreciative of his support regardless. Very few people had helped her with anything, so for Obi-Wan to help her with her panic meant a great deal to her - it showed her that here was a man that cared for others and would make for a good partner.

Obi-Wan moved to stand against the wall opposite her; his hands still gripped in a formal manner in front of his body. He had a thoughtful look on his young face, his eyes looking at her before he spoke once again.

"So this meld ... how does it work ... you already said breaking a bond hurts. What if a bond is left open and never fully united between souls"

Sam could feel her gut constrict, she knew exactly how to read between the lines - he was asking her what would happen to her if he decided that he didn't want to have a romantic relationship. It was a question that came out of left field given that she knew his feelings for her and the kiss that spoke of that growing affection. She kept her worry buried deep down inside her so that he didn't feel it, and gave her robes a brief brush down.

"As I've said before ... not all Fey meld with their huusak. They live their lives as they normally would have before they met that person, and there is no pain from having not fulfilled a meld of that nature with something. Fear, not Obi-Wan, you will not be forced into something just because we now share a bond."

She stopped brushing down her robes and gripped her hands in front of her. A picture of calm despite how she felt. Sam knew that she would have to accept the male's choice if parted from her side, and she let out a breath as came to terms with the possibility that he may not want anything further regarding romance. Obi-Wan gave a nod of his head, scratching at the short hair on the side of his head as he settled his eyes upon her own.

"What if I want the meld?"

Sam could feel her face heating as she blushed, and gripped her fingers tighter together under the thick sleeves of her robes.

"Then we will court much like any other couple, and when we are ready, we form the huusak. I, of course, will teach you as I have already promised - and I stand by that pledge."

Obi-Wan shifted, pushing himself away from the wall with one smooth movement. His hands reaching out to take her hands on her own. Gentle fingers untangling her fingers so that he might press his palms quickly int her own. She could feel the warmth of his skin, and the callouses from years of wielding a lightsaber - he was young, but that youth hid the fact that he was a warrior in his own right.

"I am ready to learn Sam. I feel in the force that this joining is meant to be ... it is steeped in the side of light, and with it will come great strength."

Her fingers gripped his, hardly daring to believe what he had just said, and then loosening to a more gentle grip when she realised what he had just said. She let out a breath she did not realise that she had been holding and pressed her forehead against his own, her eyes closing as she allowed the tension to be freed from her muscles.

"Then we will start in the morning. Till then we rest, we will need to be well rested."

She felt his fingers press gently to the backs of her hands, holding to her gently as he gave a low 'hmm' of agreement. He pulled back slowly, giving her a soft look of love before pressing his lips to her forehead.

"I best go then. I will see you in the morning. Goodnight"

"goodnight."

Her reply was a hushed whisper, still on a high from the tender affection he had gone, and she was still giddy some time after he had left. When she did finally settle down to sleep it was with a smile still plastered on her face, and she found that she no longer dreaded going back to Coruscant - yes there was still the annoyance of having to deal with Yoda and the 'told you so' comments he was sure to drop, but she now felt as if she could face that with a smile on her face.

It was with that thought that she drifted into the darkness of dreamless sleep.


	12. Returning to Coruscant

**Thank you all for your continuing support of this story.  
This chapter took some time to get here, and I am glad to finally have it live for you all to enjoy!  
Things should pick up from here now that I have waded back into this story, and I hope that the chapters that follow will be a little smoother than this one! **

**~Mandochk**

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**Chapter 12: Returning to Coruscant**

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The cold chill of space filled the craft, filling every corner and causing Sam to pull her heavy outer cloak further around her body. She didn't much like space travel as it was an uncomfortable business and there was always the lingering thought in the back of her mind that something could go wrong - that only a few inches of metal separated her from the unforgiving vacuum of space.

A breath left her as she walked, her thoughts turning to the training session she had just had with Obi-Wan. For an hour they had sat in quiet meditation, her thoughts guiding his own through the lessons her master had once given to her.

It was a gentle start to the complex world of emotion for the young padawan, a swirling and ever changing landscape that required careful navigation and a steady guide. Sam knew that she would be that guide for some time, but she was willing to put in the time to get him to where he needed to be.

Her steps carried her through the craft with no real destination. She just wanted to walk to burn off some energy while waiting for their journey to end. It'd be good to finally land and get off the ship if only to stretch her legs and relax in the familiar environment of the temple. The temple had been her home for many years, and while she didn't always get on with its residents, she was nevertheless the less excited to get home.

She was about to step into the cockpit to check on the crew when she felt the presence of Qui-Gon approaching her. His face

grave and serious, the expression showing his age and making him look drained. He gave a nod to her as he finally reached her side and rested a hand on her shoulder, his palm warm even through the layers of clothing she wore.

"We need to talk."

His words were nothing more than a quiet whisper, and she nodded her head as she allowed the other Jedi to lead the way. Their path was taking them toward one of the small sitting areas; which was set off from the main hallway providing them with some privacy. Each of them lowered their bodies down into the seats, Qui-Gon with more weariness than Sam. The weight of the world resting on his shoulders as his eyes settled upon her, his features hard to read as she settled into the comfortable cushioned back of the chair.

"What would you like to talk about."

Her hands moved to expose her palms toward him. Showing that he should start to talk. Hard as it was to read his face she could tell that something was on his mind. He slowly let out a breath, and he lifted a hand to brush over his chin.

"Tatooine has changed us all, but I feel my padawan has changed the most ... I feel it is you behind this shift."

The words made her feel nervous. She had felt the change that had occurred in the padawan, and hadn't thought that Qui-Gon would pick up on it.

"I did not mean to affect such a change. The force drew us toward one another, and he has learned much in the last few days."

Sam did not see any reason to hide things from her fellow knight, but that didn't mean she would say that they shared romantic feelings. Sam didn't know how Qui-Gon would react to such revelations. Sure he often argued with the council, but his views toward attachments might be just like any other Jedi.

"He is young and eager to learn. But he concerns himself too much with thoughts of the future rather than living in the moment."

Her hands shifted to rest in her lap, her lips pressing firmly together as she was reminded how different Qui-Gon was to Yoda.

"Ah yes, the teachings of the Living Force ... While I agree on such matters, we can't entirely ignore future possibilities that the force shows us."

"We should not allow those visions to cloud our minds. I worry he will become further attached to you and let his worries of future events sway him to the darkness."

Sam chuckled dryly and shifted her hands to her knees.

"Obi-Wan will be okay. Have you not taught him of the living force? To be aware of the moment and to live in it? You have opened up the door to attachment with such a philosophy - you can't tell someone to live in the moment and not have human instinct take over."

Qui-Gon sighed deeply, running a hand over his face slowly.

"I do not want him to face the same darkness as I did."

His head lowered, and she finally realised what had happened and why he was worried for his padawan. Qui-Gon had formed an attraction in the past, and that person had been torn from his life. She reached over and took his hand into her own, giving it a firm squeeze as she felt the wound this person had left in the man's life.

"The temple failed you Qui-Gon. As it has failed so many before you. You shouldn't have to suffer this way. If only it taught Jedi as it once did, to deal with emotions rather than locking them away. No wonder so many Jedi are lost to darkness. But I assure you I will not let him face such things in his life. I will teach him what I can so that he remains on the path of the light."

Sam expected Qui-Gon to deny her such a chance, to shout at her that Obi-Wan was his padawan to train. But he did not say anything of the sort, and she was again reminded of just how much of a maverick Qui-Gon was.

"The teachings of another Jedi will serve him well. I can only teach him so much, and I focus purely on the living force. I know you drift between the two aspects, having some beliefs from the unifying force theory"

"How could I not believe some ideas of the unifying force? There are some merits found in it's teachings if one does not allow themselves to focus too heavily on both past and future events."

Qui-Gon gave her a gentle smile and a low laugh that echoed in the small area.

"I am often envious of how you walk the knife edge with such ease. You walk between light and dark and never seem to waver from your ideals despite the temptations."

"I have to walk that path, how could I not? You understand more than anyone else in the council. There are times when we have to forgo the rules, to allow our hearts to tell us what is the right choice. I cannot ignore such feelings, because without those how could we call ourselves Jedi?. You know that many Jedi would have you ignore beings like Jar-Jar and Anakin, but your morals tell you to help them - we are all a part of this universe, and neither of us can shut ourselves from what we think to be the right choice."

He nodded his head, pulling his hands from hers so that he could sit back in a more comfortable posture than the slumped one he had just been in. Here was a man that held the greatest compassion of any member of the council, and yet they coined him as the maverick? Sometimes she wondered about the wisdom of the council. For surely a man like Qui-Gon should be celebrated rather than cast aside.

"Talking of Anakin, I am concerned. You know the council will not allow him to be trained, and for once I will be in agreeance with them. The boy is far too old, he has formed attachments and will not readily forget them. I feel that these attachments will be a major part of his life, that his past will haunt him the rest of his life."

Qui-Gon frowned, a dark expression that did not seem to belong on his face.

"He is the one the prophecy spoke of I am sure of it. He is strong in the force and he will bring balance to it. You never agreed with the council before, why now this sudden change? This boy is much the same as you when you joined. Yes, mentally you were the right age, but you still had attachments to your family members. He should be given the same chance to be trained."

"He is human Qui-Gon, not Fey. His mental and physical development have been different to mine. Do not compare us when we are not even similar species."

She fell quiet, and she felt saddened that she would have to stand on the opposite side of the coin to him. The training of such a boy worried her, and she worried that Qui-Gon was letting some prophecy guide his choices. It was ironic really. The proponent of the living force was allowing something from the past affect his decisions at the moment.

"There is a darkness in the Force Qui-Gon. I just think we must all tread with caution and be mindful of our choices."

Qui-Gon shifted in his seat before giving a nod. She could feel the growing rebellious spirit in him, and she worried what he might do if the council decided not to train the boy. He was a man that had often gone against the council, and she was sure he would be willing to go against them again if he felt so strongly about training the boy.

He parted his lips to say more but was cut off by the sudden sensation of the spacecraft dropping out of hyperspace. It was not a jarring sensation in the sense of being thrown from your seat, but rather one felt in the pit of your stomach. Qui-Gon slowly pushed himself upright and brushed himself down so that his robes settled neatly over his body.

"We are here. Worry not Sam for I will be careful."

Sam watched him leave with a growing sense of doom. Qui-Gon might be focused on the here and now, but Sam could not ignore the warnings in the force. Each day the warnings grew more urgent, and she kept those warnings in mind as she followed after her fellow Jedi.

The walls of the temple were both familiar and unfamiliar as she walked the length of one of the hallways in the eastern quadrant of the temple. She had often walked these halls, the serene atmosphere a constant companion over the many visits she had made to this place. Just hours before she had departed from the company of her fellow Jedi after the brief talk they had with Yoda. The grand master seemed concerned about recent events, and she knew that even now Anakin would be being tested for force sensitivity.

Sam brushed down her robes as she turned a corner, briefly stopping a moment to examine the calm faces of one of the busts that lined the wall. The piece of art had not a worry in the world, it didn't have to concern itself with the events going on around it and she found irony in the fact that this statue was the perfect example the current ideal of what a Jedi should be. It had no worries, no emotions, and could never fall to the dark side. No sentient being could ever hope to reach such perfection and gave a sigh of sadness for the many younglings striving to achieve that ideal.

Moving onward the fey continued to pass the time by walking the halls of the temple knowing that soon she would be called before the grand master. He had stated as she had left the debriefing that they would talk later, and thus she had chosen to wander the hallways nearest to the council chamber instead of making herself comfortable in her room. Why get comfy when she would have to leave such comfort? She could relax later that night once all her responsibilities had been seen too.

Her path continued on its circular path of the upper hallways until she felt the force calling her back toward the council chambers. Yoda was ready for her, his presence in the force an ever present calmness that never faltered. She wrinkled her nose and turned back in the direction she had come in, making her way toward the council chambers and the waiting grand master.

As she entered the room, the Fey took in it's spartan furnishings; this was a place where the fate of many Jedi had been decided. She could feel the whispers of the ages, fragments of memory forever tied to this chamber that spoke to her as she approached Yoda. The voices of the ages faded as she lowered into a bow in front of the master, while she didn't entirely get along with the grand master she was still willing to be respectful of the fact that he outranked her.

"Knight Tilset pleased to see you I am. News for me you have?"

Yoda certainly did not wait around, and she tried not to let him see the frustration on her features as she gave her response to the elderly male.

"My mission, if you would call it such was a success. You will be pleased to know that I will be able to bond with Kenobi. But, it may be some time before such a commitment can be made. He needs training and is still young - and while you might want us to continue the legacy of my people, I will not rush him."

The grand master settled back into his chair, fingers meshing together into his lap. He felt a lot more relaxed than he had been when she first entered the room. There was a sparkle in his eye, a delight that his matchmaking was finally a success that only served to agitate her. She hated feeling like a pawn dancing to his desires. Yes, her feelings for Obi-Wan had come naturally to her, but that didn't mean that she had to agree with Yoda's methods of bringing them together.

"Glad am I to hear such news. The force guides you it does - show you the way, it will."

"The future is clouded, but on this matter, it has been clear - I will continue to let it guide my way."

Silence filled the room a moment as Yoda nodded his head in agreement.

"Much danger I feel. Troubled I am about the blockade and the boy, so much darkness drifts through the force."

"Have you decided what to do about Anakin yet?"

Yoda closed his eyes and gave a nod of his head. He did not answer, but Sam knew his thoughts. The boy would not be trained, and she only hoped that Qui-Gon would take the news well.

"Keep an eye on Qui-Gon you will, worried I am what that he will do."

This was the one time she willingly took on such a request, and she gave a bow as she left the council chamber. The next few days would be tough, but for now, all she wanted to do was relax in her room and have a good rest.


End file.
